Education Commons^™

Local Use Of A Nationally-Developed Predictor Of University Student Attrition, Michelle Huffman

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this study we examine the ability of the scales of the College Student Inventory (CSI) to predict attrition at a single institution. We also develop a locally-specific dropout proneness model with which to compare the nationally-developed model of the CSI. Attention is given to the incremental validity of both of these models over high school grade point average and ACT composite scores. Dropout Proneness National, although statistically significantly related to attrition, was lacking in practical significance, especially when considering its incremental predictive value over high school grade point average and ACT composite score. Dropout Proneness Local was found to …

A Statewide Survey Linking Assessment To Interventions: Assessing Teacher Awareness And Training Needs Related To Students With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Leann Pearson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study, using a survey questionnaire developed by Luckett (1996), was completed by 211 kindergarten through sixth grade teachers in 33 school districts across Kentucky. The sample consisted of regular education, special education, and Title One teachers with one to thirty-one years of experience. Educational backgrounds of the predominantly female sample ranged from bachelor's to doctoral degrees. The survey included four distinct sections. Participants were questioned about (a) knowledge level with respect to the diagnostic criteria and diagnostic labels for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (b) intervention preferences for addressing ADHD student's behaviors in the classroom, (c) interventions which they would …

Methods And Techniques Of Training Social Competency In Head Start, Kimberly Ely

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was conducted to determine Kentucky Head Start teachers' perceptions about fostering social competency in preschool children. In addition, current techniques that teachers use to enhance social competency in students were examined. Information was gathered through a survey mailed to Head Start teachers in Kentucky. Of the 208 surveys mailed, 59 were returned. The majority of the respondents had a Child Development Associate degree and had been teaching for an average of nine years. Results of this study indicated Head Start teachers strongly agreed to the importance of teaching social competency, and the teachers agreed it should be a …

Parent And Teacher Perceptions Of Student Teacher Assistance Teams, Laura Dinning

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Student Teacher Assistance Team (STAT) method is one form of prereferral intervention that involves the problem-solving of teachers and other school professionals with the goal of obtaining more efficient and effective help for students in the regular education setting. After an examination of the research in the area of prereferral interventions, it was noted that few research studies mentioned parents' involvement in and none were found assessing parents' perceptions of the process. This study examines both parent and teacher perceptions of student teacher assistance teams (STATs) in a small rural county in Kentucky. Participants in the study involved 44 …

Information-Seeking Behavior Of Multicultural Students: A Case Study At San Jose State University, Mengxiong Liu, Bernice Redfern

Faculty and Staff Publications

In 1995 a survey was conducted on the campus of San Jose State University where, for the first time, so-called minorities made up 50.7 percent of the total student population. Asian students compose the largest group among other ethnic groups. The study shows that students who use English as their primary language are usually more successful in using the library than those who use English as a second language. Length of stay in the United States also affects how often students use the library, as well as their behavior in asking reference questions. The survey found that Asian students are …

Better Teams Through Type, Jeremy Dwyer

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

When business people are asked what skills are most important in business, and especially management, they often answer “ability to communicate with other employees.” Successful communication though, takes more than mastery of English and knowing a few things about active listening. Effective communication requires the ability to understand, and appreciate, how the other person thinks. If people don’t understand their differences they will communicate in different ways and the efficiency and cohesion of your organization will suffer.

Type theory, upon which this course is based, attempts to describe personalities so that people can come to understand, and appreciate, the perspectives …

Predictors Of Social Physique Anxiety In Elite Female Youth Athletes, Jeffrey J. Martin, Hermann J. Engels, John C. Wirth, Kari L. Smith

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of social physique anxiety (SPA). SPA, self-esteem, body-esteem, public body consciousness (PBC) and percent body fat (%BF) were assessed with elite female youth athletes (N = 68) competing in either figure skating, soccer or gymnastics. Stepwise multiple regression analyses, controlling for BF%, accounted for 59% of the variance in SPA. Self-esteem entered first, and BF%, followed by body-esteem and PBC. The psychological variables accounted for 57% of the variance with self-esteem contributing the most (R square change = 45%). Contrary to previous research, BF% did not significantly contribute to SPA. …

Understanding Power In The College Classroom, Aubrey Immelman

Psychology Faculty Publications

This article presents a theoretical framework for conceptualizing power relations in educational settings and argues that research on the metamorphic effects of social power provides an empirical basis for the constructive use of power in the college classroom. It recommends that teachers should concentrate on strengthening their informational, expert, and referent power bases; limit their use of legitimate and reward power; and avoid the exercise of coercive power at practically any cost.

Rebuilding Little Lives : Using Play Therapy With Traumatized Children, Denise E. Maas

Graduate Research Papers

In this paper, the author will attempt to assist therapists with their work with traumatized children using play therapy. The discussion includes signs and symptoms that a traumatized child may exhibit. In addition, the paper will contain selected therapeutic powers of play and how they can aid in the treatment of traumatized children. The case examples provided throughout this paper are actual experiences taken from the author's clinical practice in a hospice setting.

A Review Of The Washington University Sentence Completion Test, Jennifer K. Murra

Graduate Research Papers

Ego development is a concept which has been researched for many years One way this concept has been measured is through the use of projective tests which offer a vague stimulus (in this case sentence sterns) which respondents answer without a clear set of rules. Jane Loevinger and her associates developed a theory of ego development which was then used to develop a projective test in 1970 called the Washington University Sentence Completion Test (WUSCT or SCT).

A synthesis of information including validity, reliability, explanations of ego development theory, discussions of different forms, and scoring has not yet been done. …

Applications Of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy In The School Setting, Joanne M. Nelson

Graduate Research Papers

As a result of the many demands, as well as lack of time, school counselors need to work with an effective short-term theory. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) fits this description because the general goal of REBT is to attain positive mental health within the least amount of time and with minimal expenditure.

Because of its efficiency, and its applicability to individual, small group, classroom, and adults, school counselors should consider using REBT in the school setting. The preventative and self-help focus of REBT, and the teaching materials developed around this theory fit well into the school setting. By applying …

Childhood Physical Or Sexual Abuse As A Possible Indicator Of Subsequent Adult Anxiety Disorders, Lynn Merry Cornwell

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years, there has been a growing acceptance that childhood physical and sexual abuse lead to higher rates of psychiatric morbidity in adulthood. Childhood abuse experiences have been reported to be highly prevalent among patients with anxiety disorders. Similarly, childhood incest victims have been found to suffer from a significantly higher rate of anxiety disorders in adulthood especially agoraphobia, than a non-victimized, matched comparison group. Epidemiology studies also support a relationship between childhood abuse and the subsequent development of anxiety disorders. Two separate community surveys found that childhood sexual victimization predicted the later onset of agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and …

A Comprehensive Review Of Treatment Options For Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Kristin Vanderah

Graduate Research Papers

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a disorder affecting between 3 and 5 percent of school-age children, manifests as a combination of three core skill deficits: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The deficits have been found to present children with many difficulties in both home and school settings. Thus, comprehensive treatment for individuals with ADHD is of paramount importance to their development and their academic and social experiences. The content of this paper is comprised of a review of the recent research that has been published regarding the three major theoretical orientations of ADHD interventions (pharmacological, behavioral, and multimodal treatment). All of …

Peer Relations Of Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Joan Elizabeth Licari

Graduate Research Papers

This paper's main focus is on the peer relations of children with ADHD. Many interventions are used with children who have ADHD. One of the most widely used intervention is medication. The drug that is most associated with ADHD is methylphenidate or Ritalin. Medication, which can reduce some problematic behaviors associated with ADHD, has not been found to be very beneficial in peer relations.

Children who have ADHD are at risk for later psychopathology (mental disorders), among other problems, and thus early interventions are critical to reduce the onset of later pathologies.

This paper is intended to provide an overview …

Children Of Divorce : Implication To Teaching, Gloria Mao

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this paper is the causes of divorce and their effects on elementary-age children. The adjustment problems of children of divorce in classrooms are examined. The importance of teachers' roles in easing the transition to school for children of divorce is emphasized. Teachers are assumed to be in a better position to observe the changes of children of divorce and to help them to adjust to their parents' divorce. By being sensitive and supportive, teachers can make a difference in their students' lives. A 7-hour workshop designed to enhance teachers' understanding about children of divorce is described.

Impact Of A Six-Trait Character Education Program On Sixth-Grade Students' Perceived Attitudes And Behaviors, Cindy S. Baumgartner

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a pilot character education program, called BOOMERANG, on students' reported attitudes and behaviors of six character constructs. The subjects consisted of 80 sixth-grade students enrolled in a small Midwestern town during the 1995-96 school year who were randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group.

The intervention consisted of a 16-week character education program led by trained high-school students for a weekly, 30-minute session, using a pilot character education curriculum designed by the researcher. The intervention program consisted of six character traits: (a) caring, (b) citizenship, (c) …

Proponents And Opponents For Rewarding Children, Shelly Bromwich

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of the literature concerning the types and uses of rewards. The primary focus of this paper was to look at opposing sides of whether rewarding children has benefits or whether there are problems with using rewards. Also, I looked at how children can be given credit for their efforts to accomplish their goals with using encouragement and natural and logical consequences.

As stated by Alfie Kohn, "A reward .. .is a desired object or event made conditional on having fulfilled some criterion" (Kohn, 1993, p. 53). There is a controversy today concerning the use of …

Two Treatment Approaches For Young Children With Autism : Common Ground?, Jodi Suzanne Bronson

Graduate Research Papers

Students with autism display extreme difficulties with communication skills, social interactions, and often engage in restrictive and repetitive patterns of behavior (DSM-IV, 1994 ). As a result of these behaviors, and the often comorbid mental retardation, students with autism have many complex educational needs.

This paper will provide a complete literature review of the historic development of autism, possible etiologies of autism, and current diagnostic criteria. In addition, specifically the literature regarding one current behavioral approach to intervention, the Lovaas Method, and one method of antecedent controlled intervention, the TEACCH model will be reviewed. Additionally, research on other successful interventions …

Understanding And Treating Selective Mutism In Children : A Guide For Counselors, Chelsea R. Carter

Graduate Research Papers

Selective mutism is a clinical disorder in which a child remains silent in chosen situations despite the ability for speech. Though there are cases of selective mutism in adults, the major population in which this disorder is diagnosed is in children. This paper will focus on these children who meet the criteria for a diagnosis of selective mutism.

There are three major theoretical schools of thought regarding selective mutism. The first deals with hostility and control; the second, anxiety and social phobia; and the third, family communication in regard to the onset and maintenance of this disorder. This paper explores …