Education Commons^™

Effect Of Carnitine On The Disposition Of Alcohols, Robin Ann Ruark Brothers

Doctoral Dissertations

Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 300-500g, were fed Purina rodent chow with or without a supplement of 0.5 % L-carnitine (CS or NS groups) for 5-7 days, after which they were given a single oral dose of methanol (2.25 g/kg), isopropanol (2.0 g/kg), ethylene glycol (5.56 g/kg), or ethylene glycol (5.56 g/kg) followed by ethanol (3.0 g/kg) 1 hour later in aqueous solutions. Serial blood and urine samples were collected over time and analyzed for the respective alcohols by gas chromatography. The data were subjected to pharmacokinetic analysis and statistical analysis.

There was significant reduction in blood methanol concentration in the CS …

The Development Of Medical Standards For The Assessment Of Back Disability In A Nursing Population, John Charles Turner

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a job-specific abilities analysis for nurses, and to compile medical standards for disability assessment based upon abilities analysis, appropriate for The University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville. The primary area of interest for this research was back disability.

A group of 226 staff nurses at the Medical Center completed a survey of six physical ability scales developed to assess the greatest amount of physical stress experienced by them in their daily duties. In addition, a group of 24 physicians and physical therapists completed a survey designed to rate the maximum allowable …

Computer Assisted Drill And Practice: An Instructional Aid To Increasing Rate Of Acquisition Of Addition Math Facts, Paula G. Frandsen

Masters Theses

This study supplemented existing math instruction and drill and practice (flash cards and worksheets) with computer assisted drill and practice (CADP) to facilitate addition math fact attainment of first grade students. The six students selected were introduced to (CADP) on an individual basis using a multiple baseline across subjects research design. Timed tests were used to select subjects, as baseline measures, and as probes throughout the study to measure the students' rate correct per minute (the dependent variable).

All subjects showed an increase in their individual rate correct per minute after the introduction of CADP. This rate increase is important …

The Relationship Of Presidential Leadership Style And The Financial Health Of Private, Nonproprietary Institutions Of Higher Learning, Sandra E. Seay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the financial health of academic institutions and the leadership style of college and university presidents. Financial health was defined as the ability of an institution to pay its current debts. Secondly, the study tested a number of hypotheses derived from the contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Lastly, the study attempted to determine if there was an association between two lists of institutions considered to be led by effective presidents. The study involved a stratified random sample of 263 private institutions accredited by the Southern Association of …

Analogical Processing Skills In Three Modalities In Fifth, Eighth, And Eleventh Graders, Amy Sirrae Cashen

Masters Theses

This study examined the ability of fifth, eighth, and eleventh graders to complete multiple modality analogy tasks. Three groups, for a total of 201 subjects--68 fifth graders, 66 eighth graders, and 77 eleventh graders--solved word, picture, and figure analogies. A significant difference was found in the performance of the three groups, indicating that analogical processing skills increase with age. No significant difference was found between males and females on the combined analogy tasks. A significant difference was found for modality, indicating that the three sets of analogies were different in difficulty. The grade-by-modality interaction also was found to be significant, …

A Study Of Learning Activities Of Selected Caregivers Of Alzheimer's Patients In East Tennessee, Jeannette G. Mclaughlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify and describe the individual learning activities of caregivers of people with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and to develop an analytical description of the patterns of learning of these adults. An instrument was not available for use; therefore, a focused interview guide was developed. The interview guide was developed through consultation with several spouses or adult children caring for Alzheimer's patients, professionals in the health care field, and a review of the literature. The major analysis procedure for the study was the constant comparative method, an inductive method that has been used …

The Effects Of Added Purpose On Fine Motor Performance In Learning Disabled Children, Sarah Lynn Austin

Masters Theses

The idea that occupations which offer added levels of purpose elicit a high quality of performance is widely accepted within occupational therapy. In this experiment involving fine motor performance, fifty-three learning disabled children were randomly assigned to two groups. It was hypothesized that children cutting out a circle, presented as a wheel which would complete a paper truck, would cut more accurately than those who cut out the same circle without the suggestion of it being used as a wheel. Accuracy was assessed by measuring the area of the children's cutting errors. The experimental design included the use of a …

Developing A Test That Would Give Better Predictive Validity For Native Spanish-Speaking Students Who Are Awarded Credit By Examination, Susan Segal

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The serious deficiencies in format, content, and predictive validity of a Spanish I credit by examination test taken by native Spanish-speakers were addressed in this practicum. The proposed adoption of the level one 1988 National Spanish Examination, sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, and an author-written supplement were evaluated as testing instruments to award credit and place students in advanced Spanish classes by district Spanish II and III teachers. One hundred percent of the Spanish teachers approved the proposed adoption of this examination which tests all aspects of linguistic competency, including the knowledge of grammar, …

Comparison Of Traditional And Computer-Assisted Administrations Of The Ppvt-R With Trainably Mentally Impaired Students, Wanda Balla

Masters Theses

A group of 20 trainably mentally impaired students, ages 6-24, was randomly assigned to two groups, one of which received the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (Dunn & Dunn, 1981), manual administration, and the other a computer-assisted version, which required a switch closing response. Two weeks later, the order of administration was reversed. The results showed a difference of - 1.73 points in the manual to computer administration, and a -3 point difference from computer to manual administration. Overall difference between both administrations was -2.36 points, favoring the manual administration. Recommendations include systematic evaluation and/or training of TMI or lower- functioning …

The Role Of Socialization In The Process Of Political Life: An Analysis Of Gender Roles In Elementary School Textbooks On Taiwan, Chien-Hong Lee

Masters Theses

This thesis contains both theoretical and applied research. In the theoretical part, political socialization is the main theme to be studied; and an incorporated model is designed to examine how political socialization can be viewed in the process of political life. In the applied part, three sets of elementary school textbooks have been examined and we have found that those textbooks contain clear sex-typed images of adult behavior; and male characters are emphasized more than female characters, which might contribute to the understanding why women are rarely seen in any positions of power in any realm on Taiwan.

Comparisons Of Learnings From Structured And Nonstructured Visits To A Science Exhibit, Rosario Canizales De Andrade

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of an activity worksheet during a museum visit to a science exhibit might help students achieve the objectives proposed for the visit. Two types of museum visits were identified: structured and nonstructured. During the structured visit students used the activity worksheet that focused their attention on concepts, displays, and activities presented in the exhibit. During the nonstructured visit, students did not use any attention-focusing device; instead, they interacted with the exhibit according to their own interests and preferences.

Secondary goals of the study were to determine if gender-related …

Perceptions And Evaluations Of University Principal Preparation Programs By Michigan Public School Principals, Linda Berk Voit

Dissertations

In this study, Michigan public school principals reported their evaluative perceptions regarding: (a) the degree to which 9 of the 12 generic skills were developed in their university administrator programs, (b) the frequency and effectiveness of the instructional modes used to develop these generic skills, and (c) the ideal instructional modes which are most effective for developing these skills.

Both this replicated study with revisions and the completed Texas A&M University project (Witters-Churchill, 1988) were based upon recommendations made by the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Performance-Based Consortium.

The population of this study, 3,202 principals from Michigan public schools, …

Techniques For Increasing Writing And Reading Proficiency Of International Students, Abatah D. Daher

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine and develop a program to increase the language proficiency of international students.

The subjects for this study consisted of 44 international students enrolled in the course entitled, "Effective College Reading for International Students." The subjects were divided into two groups, the experimental group and the control group.

Gates and MacGinitie Reading Survey E (1978) was used in assessing language proficiency. Speed and accuracy, vocabulary, and comprehension scores were obtained for the experimental and control groups. An analysis using the Fry formula (1977) to identify the grade level score for their stories was …

Identification And Discrimination Of Tennessee Teacher And Administration Perceptions Toward The Career Ladder Program, Yuen-Cheng Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify and discriminate the perceptions of administrators, Career Ladder teachers, and non-ladder teachers in the Tennessee public schools toward the Tennessee Career Ladder Teacher Evaluation System. Demographic data and information were collected by a state-wide survey of Tennessee educators. Two research questions were raised to guide the study. The comparison data collected pertained to sex and age of the participants, highest degree completed by the participants, participants' Career Ladder status, professional membership, professional experience, and the type and classification of school in which the participants worked. The information concerning educators' perceptions regarding the …

An Administrative Model For Professional Development Centers In The Reform Of Teacher Education, Norma J. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this study was to identify a validated model of professional development centers (PDCs) for teacher education that could be applied collaboratively by administrators in higher education and the local school systems. A thorough investigation failed to reveal a model. Therefore, a professional development center model was synthesized from the literature, attributes of existing centers, and ideas of East Tennessee educators who were in positions to implement such a model. The examination of centers incorporated both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The quantitative investigation was a combination of inductive and deductive analysis of responses to a survey form …

An Alternative Model For School District Organization In Michigan, William M. Johanns

Dissertations

School districts should be organized in an efficient manner while also being equitable to all. Reorganization of school districts could help meet these criteria. At present Michigan has 529 school districts varying in size from 75 to 200,000 students. Due to the large variation in number of students in districts, it is very difficult to achieve equity. During the period 1940 to 1964, progress toward equity occurred when school district reorganizations dropped the number of districts from 6,239 to 545. But since that time few reorganizations have taken place; consequently, Michigan residents continue to bear a high cost in efficiency …

An Investigation Of Elementary Teachers' Self-Perception Of Burnout While Participating In A Professional Development Change Process, Lana L. Callihan

Dissertations

Teachers are experiencing pressures from the demands of educational change required in their profession. The quality of education is reflected by the competency of the teacher. The research suggests that efforts should be directed toward identifying a process for change that will reduce the feelings of burnout which block the energy and enthusiasm needed for change.

This study investigated the question, "Does involvement in a professional development process modify a teacher's perceived feelings of burnout?" The professional development models studied were the Collaborative Curriculum and Professional Development Process (CCPDP), Instructional Theory Into Practice (ITIP), and the Michigan School Improvement Process …

Comparison Of Five Role Groups Of Michigan Participants In Nassp Assessment Centers, Janice I. Blanck I. Blanck

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were (a) to describe the relationship of job assignment and assessment center performance; (b) to extend the research on the content validity of the NASSP Assessment Center Project (Schmitt et al., 1982); and (c) to determine if there were statistically significant differences among five role groups of Michigan educators for each of the 12 NASSP Assessment Center skill dimensions and the overall ratings. A one-way parametric analysis of variance was used to determine the significant differences among mean scores for the five role groups of elementary, middle, and high school teachers; assistant principals; and quasi-administrators. …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Self-Esteem And Job Satisfaction, Dolores Davis Wickett

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not there was a positive and significant relationship between nurses' perceptions of self-esteem and job satisfaction. The review of related literature led to the development of a primary research hypothesis: There is a positive and significant relationship between self-esteem and job satisfaction of nurses. Two additional secondary hypotheses were developed to look at the relationship of self-esteem and job satisfaction with selected demographic characteristics.

The sample consisted of 48 full-time registered nurses employed as public health nurses by a health department. The health centers are located in a southeastern Michigan …

A Study Of Community Activities, Personal Expenditures, And Job Performance Of School Administrators In Districts With And Without Residency Policies, Sue Nelson

Dissertations

This study compared school administrators (principals and special education directors) in districts with residency policies and administrators in districts without residency policies on the number of community activities participated in, the location of 11 typical goods and services purchased, and job performance as rated by immediate supervisors. The literature revealed that the existence of residency policies has been justified by statements that resident administrators participate in more community activities, spend more money in the district, and have better job performance than nonresident administrators.

Four research hypotheses concerning participation in community activities, purchases, and job performance were based on the assumption …

Effects Of Cooperative Games On The Prosocial Behavior Interactions Of Young Children With And Without Impairments, Steven Grineski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which cooperative games promote prosocial behavior interactions of young children with and without impairments and can be used for successful integration. Specific outcomes include: (a) a cooperative games model which can be used as a framework for selecting, modifying, or creating games that promote prosocial behavior; (b) a games curriculum designed to promote affective, psychomotor, and cognitive behaviors; and (c) a proposal of ways a cooperative games curriculum can facilitate social integration of children with and without impairments.

Sixteen children from the Moorhead State University Preschool between the ages …

Energy Cost Of Resistive Exercise, Jan A. Polychronis

Dissertations and Theses

The energy cost of performing 1 and 3 sets of strength-type (6-8 RM) and endurance-type (30-35 RM) bench press exercise was estimated by indirect calorimetry in 10 male college students.

The total net energy cost of performing 3 sets of endurance-type resistive exercise (20.57 ± 1.86 kcal) was significantly (p <.05) greater than strength-type resistive exercise (15.24 ± 1.51 kcal) (mean ± SEM). Results were similar when energy cost was expressed relative to lean body mass. However, when expressed relative to the amount of work performed (kcal•kgm^-1) the strength-type exercise (2.35 ± 0.19) resulted in a significantly (p <.05) greater expenditure of energy than did endurance-type exercise (1.64 ± 0.30). The energy cost relative to work performed was found to be significantly greater for 1 set of strength-type exercise than for any other condition (p <.05). The relationship between the energy cost of 1 set, multiplied by 3, and 3 sets was r=0.64 for endurance-type exercise and r=0.27 for strength-type exercise.

It was concluded that compared to strength-type resistive exercise, endurance-type resistive exercise requires a greater net energy expenditure. The results suggest that endurance-type exercise be performed by individuals who wish to expend the greatest amount of energy …

Improving Teacher Effectiveness In Implementing Comprehensive Health Education, Janet L. Kehoe

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Comprehensive Health Education/Growing Healthy (GH) was not being taught for the required number of hours as was indicated in the pupil progression plan for this community. The objectives of the practicum were to increase the number of trained teachers by 60 percent; thereby increasing the instructional time GH was taught, and to place, and organize all commercial instructional-support materials within the elementary school. The author designed a six-week long training program, conducted an inventory of all GH materials, and color coded all commercial instructional-support materials by phase and grade level. The researcher received administrative support from the school's administration to …

The Effect Of Media On The Listening Comprehension Scores Of Intermediate Esl Students, Marian Tyson

Dissertations and Theses

The use of videotapes has become widespread in ESL classes in recent years. The decline in cost of tapes and VCR equipment has assisted in the spread of this technology. These tapes are often used in listening comprehension classes and may replace or supplement the use of audiotapes. However, research has not established that the addition of the visual element, especially in the movie or TV type context of many videos, is an advantage to the language learner.

A total of seventy-six students participated in a listening comprehension recall exercise. Thirty-nine students viewed a videotape segment, and the remaining thirty-seven …

A Follow-Up Study Of A Dropout Intervention Program Utilizing Experimental Counseling Strategies, Cynthia Sue Ferguson

Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the long range effects of a seven week summer dropout intervention program. The program featured academic remediation, job skills training and random assignment to one of three counseling models: Multidimensional, group or individual. Twenty-four male and 24 female economically and academically disadvantaged students averaging 15.5 years of age were tested in a pre-test, post-test, follow-up format on measures of dropout potential, locus of control and academic achievement. The Demos Dropout Scale revealed no change in attitude over the nine month period. Results obtained from Rotter's Internal/External Scale revealed a general movement to …

Increasing Levels Of Abstract Reasoning Ability In First And Second Graders Through Instruction In Inferential Thinking And Analogical Reasoning, Shelley Cindy Obrand

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The ability of first and second graders to use reasoning skills was addressed by the implementation of strategies to develop inferential thinking and analogical reasoning. Piagetian theory was researched in reference to expected levels of cognitive development. The target group of students received instruction in problem-solving to enable them to make inferences. They also received instruction in determining relationships to enable them to solve analogies. Instructional strategies included: modeling, verbal rehearsal, metacognition, peer tutoring, manipulative learning, and discovery learning. The students' progress was measured by Precision Teaching (a monitoring system involving charting to document growth). Inservice training was provided by …

Teaching Self-Esteem To Improve Performance In Eighth Grade Basic Earth Science, J Mark Huffines

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Low performance in a basic eighth-grade earth science class was addressed by a one-class-period per week self-esteem unit presented by the writer and daily positive self-concept reinforcement methods implemented by the regular classroom teacher. Students were presented concepts of self-esteem such as "self-talk,” “irrational beliefs,” “setting and attaining goals,” and “positive relationships” and participated in discussions concerning their feelings about themselves, school, families, and others. There was a standardized measure of self-esteem pretest and posttest, and student performance was measured via comparison of their earth science grade average between the first and the tenth week. Students improved in both grade …

The Needs And Resources Of Foreign Students At Morehead State University, Bee Lan Ong

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

Applied project presented to the faculty of the School of Education at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Education Specialist by Bee Lan Ong on August 28, 1989.

Effects Of Dietary Corn Oil And Menhaden Oil On Rats Mammary Tumorigenesis And Prostaglandin E2 Levels, Melissa L. Philley

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology by Melissa L. Philley on August 4, 1989.

The Effect Of Exercise, Diet Restriction And Aging On The Pituitary-Adrenal Axis In The Rat, Madeline Dellwo

Doctoral Dissertations

The effects of calorie restriction and exercise on feed consumption, growth, and the pituitary-adrenal axis were studied in aging male Wistar rats. The study consisted of 4 experimental groups: Sedentary, ad libitum fed controls (A); Sedentary, diet restricted by feeding on alternate days (R); Exercised by swimming on alternate days, ad libitum fed (AE); Exercised by swimming on alternate days, diet restricted by feeding on alternate days (RE).

Training effect was verified by heart weight:body weight ratio. Exercise resulted in a significantly lower body weight, in spite of the fact that exercised animals ate more than the sedentary animals. Body …