Education Commons^™

Parental Involvement In Education, Linda Louise Fletke

Masters Theses

Research has shown that parental involvement is essential to a child’s educational success. This thesis document addresses the important role that parents play in their child’s educational experience.

This paper includes a thorough review of the existing literature regarding parental involvement in education as well as original research conducted by the author. Three questionnaires - one for parents, one for teachers, and one for students - were created and then an average of 100 parents, teachers, and students responded to each respective survey. All of the data were then analyzed and recommendations were made.

There are numerous strategies for teachers …

Reading Comprehension Needs Of Students With Learning Disabilities In An Inclusion Setting: Class-Wide Peer Tutoring With A Summarization Strategy, Jeffrey A. Vandyke

Masters Theses

Many challenges face educators as they attempt to meet the needs of increasingly diverse students in general education settings. Students with learning disabilities are among them. Meeting the specific reading needs of such students within general education settings is one such challenge. This study reviews the literature on summarization and class-wide peer tutoring as they effect students with learning disabilities. This study also examines the strategy of summarization coupled with class-wide peer tutoring as a program to address reading comprehension needs of upper elementary learning disabled and non-disabled students in an inclusion setting. An experiment is performed and results are …

Inclusion: An Overview Of Working Models, Robertta Ruth Devries

Masters Theses

Increasingly, students with disabilities are being placed in general education classroom; defined as inclusion, to be educated with students without disabilities. Proponents such as parents, professionals, economists, researchers, and the general public are recommending a change in the continuum of services and a move toward a more integrated setting. Supporters proclaim: (a) special education is discriminating because it segregates students, (b) combining special education with general education will decrease the ever expanding budget, and (c) the American educational system is lacking and a “higher quality” education is essential. But, current research is not proving inclusion is a positive move forward …

Effects Of Auditory Oral Patterns As An Intervention For Expressive Language With Students With Disabilities, Scott Riley Swinehart

Masters Theses

The effects of using Auditory Oral Patterns to remediate expressive language in students with learning disabilities w as examined in a cross categorical classroom. Ten students with special education needs were in the study. Six of the students were labeled a s learning disabled, three of the students were labeled as educable mentally impaired, one student was labeled as emotionally impaired, and one student was labeled as autistically impaired. Four of the students in the study also had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Quantitative results of the study showed an increase in average words per sentence in oral expressive language for …

The Effects Of Teaching Two Syllable Types And One Syllabication Rule On The Spelling Achievement Of Students With Learning Disabilities, Tracey Ellen Taylor

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether teaching two syllable types and one syllabication rule in a reading program would affect the spelling achievement of students with learning disabilities. Seven fifth-grade students with learning disabilities from western-lower Michigan participated in this study. The intervention involved teaching the closed syllable and silent-e syllable in conjunction with the VC/CV syllabication rule. During the closed syllable phase and the silent-e phase, the students were given a ten word spelling test on Monday of each week. To determine spelling achievement, the students were evaluated for both word accuracy and syllable accuracy. The …

Is The Educational Level Of Technology Coordinators Aligned With International Standards?, Keith Alan Platte

Masters Theses

School districts that employ technology coordinators have not fully implemented standards set by the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) for technology coordinators. This research examines the role of the technology coordinator, the ISTE standards for technology coordinators, graduate programs available to technology coordinators, and job descriptions of technology coordinators. This research also includes the results of a self-assessment survey of technology coordinators in southwest Michigan. The average proficiency of technology coordinators on select ISTE benchmarks is 2.54 on a 3.0 scale (3.0 is proficient). However, their proficiency level is considerably lower when most of their skills are attained …

An Examination Of Students' Beliefs About Intelligence And Self-Talk Patterns, Mary Musto

Masters Theses

The relationship between students’ beliefs about intelligence and the type of self-talk used was examined among two students with learning disabilities who were identified as having a helplessness profile. Both students viewed intelligence as a static entity and demonstrated a lack of will to learn. Additionally, these students practiced the most negative type of self-talk about their ability when undertaking difficult learning tasks. The students were taught about theories of intelligence and the effects of negative self-talk on their classroom behavior. The results indicated that teaching students about the incremental view of intelligence and the self-talk model may enhance their …

Geographic Information Systems In High School Geography Education: A Feasibility Study, C. Sonia Wardley

Masters Theses

This research focused on three aspects of the integration of GIS into the high school curriculum. Firstly, the investigation strove to demonstrate how GIS could enrich the high school geography curriculum in Michigan. Secondly, GIS software programs were evaluated for suitability using three techniques, and thirdly, the study area high schools were assessed for their technological capabilities relative to GIS.

The pedagogical and cognitive benefits of using GIS as a tool were established _ from the pertinent literature and the feasibility of incorporating GIS into the curriculum was examined with the reference to the Michigan geography content standards and benchmarks. …

Flying Universities: Educational Movements In Poland 1882-1905 And 1977-1981, A Socio-Historical Analysis, Gregory A. Lukasik

Masters Theses

In Poland in 1977, a group of intellectuals formed an independent educational enterprise under the name "Flying University." Interestingly, the original "Flying University" was organized by a group of radical professors nearly a century earlier, at a time when the Polish state disappeared from the political map of Europe. I was interested in seeing whether the two were the same, as their common name would suggest, or if they differed in any respect. I attempted to answer this question by focusing on the so-called universities' memberships, ideologies, and objectives.

I have followed the method of interpretive historical sociology (Skocpol, 1979) …

From Socrates To Leonardo: Integrating Education In The European Union, Kara P. Wegener

Masters Theses

This thesis examines French education policy in response to European Union (EU) initiatives since the 1970's. It demonstrates that policy-making at the EU and national level have both supported decentralization, i.e. supranational and national policies encourage more regional development and local decision-making. A new model, termed "Europeanization," accounts for the new regionalism and multi-level governance in the EU. The three hypotheses tested in this thesis claim that if French higher education is becoming europeanized, then the number of actors involved in policy-making will increase, funding for higher education will become more diversified, and participation rates of regional universities will grow. …

The Implications Of Mastery Learning For Special Education Learning Disabled And Emotionally Impaired Students And Teachers, Debra S. Brink

Masters Theses

This study was done to investigate an approach to teaching and learning that would provide more appropriate instruction for teachers and individualized help for learning disabled and emotionally impaired students. Mastery Learning has been implemented in many programs for a number of years. It has proven to be an effective approach used in general education . Our curriculum committee wanted to investigate the possibility of implementing Mastery Learning into our special education school program. Staff members overwhelmingly agreed that Mastery Learning should be a challenge to pursue beginning in the summer of 1997. Guidelines as to background information, the components …

Comparative Analysis Of Walking Patterns With Flip-Flops Between American And Japanese Males, Ko Tada

Masters Theses

The problem was to compare the kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographical (EMG) aspects of walking gait while wearing flip-flops and barefoot between American and Japanese males, aged 20 to 25 years. Results indicated: (a) American stride lengths were greater than Japanese, although the results were not statistically significant; (b) Japanese ankle angle was smaller than Americans' for toe-off for barefoot, and foot strike for flip-flops; (c) the Japanese decreased the ankle angle from foot strike to toe-off, the Americans increased; (d) the Americans' foot angle was significantly different between barefoot and flip-flops; (e) the biceps femoris showed a significant difference in …

Implementation Of A Middle School Team Model: A Case Study, Deborah S. Lehmann

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect that a paradigm shift from a junior high departmental model to a middle school team model had in one rural mid-western school district. The relationship between professional development in collaborative teaming and teaching, and the effective use of these skills, was studied. The researcher took the role of participant observer in order to obtain an inside view of the school for this case study. Participants were observed during team meetings and completed a questionnaire that addressed the identified variables related to interdisciplinary teaming, collaborative teaching, professional development, and administrative support. …

The Effect Of Step Height And Upper Body Involvement On Oxygen Consumption And Energy Expenditure During Step Aerobics, Heidi A. Riker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of step height and arm involvement on oxygen consumption (VO2), VO2 as a percentage of VO2max, and energy cost during step aerobics. VO2 and Respiratory Exchange Ratio were measured as 12 subjects completed 6 experimental conditions, which consisted of 3 step heights, 4, 6, and 8 in., and 2 arm conditions, with and without arms. Measured VO2 values were also analyzed as a percentage of maximal oxygen consumption to determine if subjects were within the ACSM recommended range of 50% to 85% of VO2max. ANOVAs revealed significant differences in each …

An Emg Analysis Of Five Abdominal Exercises, Teresa E. Brady

Masters Theses

The problem of this study was to compare the basic crunch, Ab Roller Plus, EZ-Krunch, and Resist-A-Ball abdominal exercises. For the Resist-A-Ball, a beginner and advanced abdominal exercise were measured. Subjects performed 5 repetitions of each of the 5 exercises and the 4th repetition of each exercise was analyzed. The dependent variables were peak EMG and time to peak EMG of the rectus abdominis; time spent in the concentric, coupling, and eccentric phases; range of motion for the low back, hip, and trunk; and EMG activity of the vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, vastus medialis, and biceps brachii. The results indicated …

The Effect Of The Hapad Longitudinal Metatarsal Arch Pad On Ground Reaction Forces And Rear Foot Angle, William F. Rocker

Masters Theses

The effectiveness of the Hapad Longitudinal Metatarsal Arch Pad (HLMAP) to correct for pronation was investigated using 30 female volunteer student subjects. The investigation consisted of measuring ground reaction forces measured by a force plate and rear foot angle (RFA) measured by video digitization. The repeated measures design consisted of l grouping variable with 3 levels, supinators, mildpronators, and over pronators, and 2 research variables, 10 trials, and pad/no-pad. The results indicated (a) no significant difference for medial or lateral force, propulsive force, vertic al thrust, negative torque among groups, or between pad/no-pad; (b) a significant difference was found for …

Investigation And Analysis Of Programs For Parental And Community Involvement In Rural And Small Town Southern Illinois K-8 Public School Districts, Angela Mills

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Relations Of Burnout To Elementary School Teachers, Special Education Beliefs, And Referral Expectations, Nichole A. Ledermann

Masters Theses

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI; Maslach, Jackson, & Schwab, 1996), a teacher survey of expectations and preferences concerning case study evaluation referral, and demographic questions were completed by regular education elementary school teachers (n=88) in a midwestern city suburb. Results suggested that symptoms of burnout were not evident among this sample of professionals according to Maslach et al. (1996) criteria. Spearman Rho correlations between the MBI subscales and expectations or preferences to have students referred, tested and placed into special education services were not significant. Significant correlations were replicated among the subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results suggested that …

Analysis And Comparison Of Title I Programs In Rural School Districts In Central Illinois, Rebecca K. Kuhn

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare Title I programs in small, rural school districts in Central Illinois. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, referred to as the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994, has been a significant factor in redesigning Title I programs. The new trend in Title I programming focuses on accountability for maximum student achievement rather than the traditional issues concerning fiscal record keeping and detailed documentation that money was used to supplement, rather than supplant, existing programs. The coordination of funding sources and programs is encouraged by the reauthorization to …

Evaluation Of Member And Non-Member Professional Growth And Development Needs For The Illinois Principals Association, Lisa L. Stewart

Masters Theses

Professional associations have been one source of continued professional growth and development for practicing school administrators since 1857. In order to maintain their viability and credibility, these professional associations must provide quality programs and services to attract and maintain membership. The effectiveness of these professional associations is measured by how well they meet their members' needs.

Changes in the role of the public school principal have been initiated as a result of the educational reform movement of the 1980s. These changes have necessitated a reexamination of the role of the professional associations which serve this population. The Illinois Principals Association …

Automated Accounting: Are Computers Being Used In Accounting I?, Janet G. Johnson

Masters Theses

Continuous improvement in the accounting curriculum is needed to prepare students for the technology-based workplace of today's business world. Literature available indicated that using computers in the accounting curriculum, is one essential tool available to students. This study examined the professional opinions and teaching practices of community college and secondary educators in Illinois. A survey was used as the research instrument. There were 148 participants in the study. The purpose of the study was to determine if computers were being used by accounting instructors in Accounting I and when they felt computers should be integrated into their accounting curricula. The …

An Investigation Of Reciprocal Reporting Agreements Between School Districts And Local Law Enforcement Agencies, Mark E. Doan

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the existing status of reciprocal reporting agreement guidelines between high schools and local law enforcement agencies in East Central Illinois. Principals of all high schools and local law enforcement officials in a 13 county area were surveyed, and responses were tabulated.

In the surveyed area, 54% of the districts did not have reciprocal reporting agreements with law enforcement offices. Local Parent-Teacher Advisory Committees had very little or no input (52%) in the development of these guidelines. While 70% of high school administrators have general guidelines to follow when law authorities are to …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of School Administrators Regarding The Current Condition Of Public Schools In Illinois South Of I-80, Myrtle A. Carey

Masters Theses

The intent of the study was to collect data concerning the perceptions of Illinois public school administrators in districts south of Interstate 80 in the following areas:

1. Current condition of educational facilities.

2. Funding sources available for renovation of facilities.

3. Strategies of the district to address deterioration of school buildings.

4. The impact of the current building conditions on the educational process.

Results were obtained through the use of a questionnaire sent to 170 administrators who were responsible for educational structures. One hundred and twenty-one administrators returned the questionnaire for a response rate of 71%. Respondents indicated that …

Asynchronous Distance Learning Technology: The Instructor's Perspective, Earl Alexander Evans

Masters Theses

"Advances in communications, computer technology and human-computer interfaces have enabled concurrent advances in Web-based education. A number of case studies concerning applications of Web-based education for both distance learning and on-campus programs have been published. Primarily, these studies have focused on individual assessments of the Web-based technologies. In addition, these published studies have generally highlighted the successes while little discussion about failed attempts has been presented in the literature.

In contrast, this thesis provides a broad-based assessment of applied Web technology for higher education. This research was conducted via a survey completed by twenty five university and college faculty from …

Co-Opertition: Competitive Communication Behavior During A Cooperative Task, Daniel M. Hlavac

Masters Theses

A combined effort of two classes at separate universities was examined. Each class boasted six groups which were paired with another group at the other university. These teams used computer mediated communication to engage in a cooperative task. The communications between groups were analyzed using conversational analytic techniques to reveal a competitive communication pattern. The results show that a lack of communication can produce competitive behaviors even in situations intended to nurture cooperation. Future concerns should focus on teaching groups to use computer mediated communication (CMC) to its fullest potential by recognizing and accounting for the critical differences between CMC …

The Perceptions Students Have About Transitioning From A Small Rural K-8 School District (Tamaroa) To A Larger Community High School (Pinckneyville) In Southern Illinois, Robert J. Hamerski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to ascertain the perceptions of former Tamaroa, Illinois, Grade School students regarding their transition to Pinckneyville High School. The research questions were:

1. How successful were former Tamaroa Grade School eighth graders at Pinckneyville High School as evidenced by perceived high school academic standing?

2. What are the perceptions of former Tamaroa Grade School students regarding issues related to the importance of completing high school?

3. What are the perceptions of former Tamaroa Grade School students attending Pinckneyville High School regarding adjustments needed to perform well academically in high school and graduating?

4. …

The New Illinois Charter School Law: A Study Of School District Superintendents' Knowledge And Inservice Desires, Larry Boyd

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the current knowledge of a random sampling of Illinois school district superintendents regarding the new Illinois Charter Schools Law. An additional purpose of this study was to ascertain the extent of the desire of a random sample of Illinois school district superintendents for inservice activities or further information about the same law.

A survey containing 12 charter school issues was developed by the author and was used to determine the extent of the knowledge and desire for further knowledge on the Illinois Charter Schools Law. A random sampling of 201 Illinois district …

Administrative Perceptual Inquiry Into School Law Issues, Mary Heeren

Masters Theses

The courts and constitutional law have had a significant impact on public schools and public school administrators. The purpose of this study was to examine administrative perceptions of particular school law issues and concerns. Via a questionnaire, administrators from west central Illinois overwhelmingly stated that school law information was necessary for effective performance in their jobs. They also named the superintendent as the school official who needs to have the highest level of school law knowledge.

When questioned about various issues of school law, respondents indicated an extreme importance in six topics: due process and student suspension/expulsion, student rights, liability, …

Perceptions Of Parents Of Elementary Students In Paris Union School District #95, Paris, Illinois, Regarding Curriculum Trends, Instructional Techniques, And Support Services, Lorraine A. Bailey

Masters Theses

The purpose of the field study was to ascertain the perceptions of parents of elementary students in grades K-5 in Paris Union School District #95, Paris, Illinois, regarding curriculum areas, instructional techniques, and support services. Addressing these areas was believed to be one important component in the process of determining the extent of the need for new or remodeled facilities at the elementary level in the district.

The researcher believed facilities of the future may be significantly different from their predecessors depending upon the nature and extent of curriculum changes. Before new facilities were proposed for Paris Union School District …

Referral Biases In The Schools, Camela P. Hayes

Masters Theses

Biases influencing teachers' referral decisions for special education services were examined. Specific biases identified and addressed pertained to students' type of problem behavior, gender and socio-economic status (SES). Subjects included 120 regular elementary school teachers from the western Chicagoland area. A total of 8 vignettes describing a child with varying behavior difficulties, gender and SES, along with 2 questionnaires were utilized. An Analysis of Variance revealed that teachers are less tolerant of students who are disruptive and are more apt to refer them than students with emotional difficulties less overt in their manifestation. The effects of SES on referral decisions …