Education Commons^™

Predicting Drinking And Driving, Peter John Arsenault

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to discover the relationship between personality traits and how they can be used to predict an individual's tendency to drink and drive. Specifically, does an individual's locus of control and self-esteem influence their tendency to drink and drive. Past research has suggested that an individual with low self-esteem and an external locus of control has a greater tendency to drink and drive. 125 participants completed a questionnaire, which measured their self-esteem, locus of control and drinking and driving behavior. A cross tabulation correlation was used to find evidence of a relationship between the …

The Relationship Between Personality Type And Choice Of College Major, Melissa Pollock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality type and choice of college major. Twenty-six students in Psychology and thirty students in Engineering majors were used in this study to determine if there was a statistically significant difference in personality types with regard to major. The subjects were administered the Keirsey Temperament Sorter-II to determine their personality type and the Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that no relationship was found between personality type and major or type and sex. However, there was a significant relationship found between sex …

Development Of A Freshman And Transfer Student Athlete Orientation Program At Rowan University, Michael D. Jefferson

Theses and Dissertations

Many college student athletes fail to attain degrees. Academically, students struggle to maintain the minimum academic requirements to remain enrolled in their college or university. The purpose of this thesis project was to determine the feasibility of developing a freshman and transfer student athlete orientation program at Rowan University. An action research design was used to collect qualitative data on student athletes regarding their attitudes and perceptions towards the development and possible implementation of an orientation program for freshman and transfer student athletes. Student athletes and university administrators supported the development of an orientation program for student athletes at Rowan …

The Interrater Reliability Of The Psychological Processing Checklist, John A. Nonnemacher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare thirty students' profiles under the Psychological Processing Checklist, a tool that attempts to locate the observable, measurable behaviors evident in a student's classroom performance that might be indicative of an emergent processing deficiency. Two individual instructors rated the same students, all chosen from two fifth grade classrooms in a Southern New Jersey public school, and the results were compared using correlation data. Significant correlations between the two profiles generated for each student, as measured by the Checklist, lent support for the Checklist as a reliable tool. It was hypothesized that the PPC …

The Development And Implementation Of A Co-Curricular Transcript Program At Rowan University, Catherine R. Ragan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research project was to study the process of change while developing and implementing a Co-Curricular Transcript Program at Rowan University. The action research project included a content analysis of available literature, a case study with an existing co-curricular transcript program, program proposals to Rowan administration, focus group interviews and a survey of employers regarding the effectiveness of the co-curricular transcript in evaluating entry-level candidates. The result of this action research project is an online co-curricular transcript program at Rowan University. The results of the employer survey indicated strong support for the program. This project also …

Middle School Advisories: An Evaluation Of Effectiveness In Creating Greater Affiliation And Self-Concept, Kimberly A. Quigley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a first year middle school advisory program in the areas of school affiliation and early adolescent self-concept. A total of 300 sixth grade students participated in the study, with 100 students from each of three different middle schools in a New Jersey suburban district. The sample consisted of 140 females and 160 males. A combination of different scales was used to create the test packet that was distributed to the participants in order to examine the hypotheses regarding school affiliation and self-concept. Three scales were utilized to measure school …

Study On The Prevalence Of Gastrointestinal Symptoms In Young Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Jennifer Gelsinger

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to gather information on the prevalence of the occurrence of gastrointestinal problems in a selected group of young children with pervasive developmental disorder. The purpose of this study was to learn more about the eating, sleeping, and toileting habits of the selected group of children with PDD; and identify how these habits may or may not relate to the behavior exhibited by the children.

The sample for the study consisted of 50 children with pervasive developmental disorder, ages 2.5 to 12 years of age. All of the children had a post-diagnosis of PDD for …

A Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Academic Performance And Parental Age, Jamie Melamed

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to examine the relationship between academic performance and parental age. Parental age has previously been shown to be a strong predictor of academic performance. This study consisted of a survey of 45 undergraduate students at Rowan University to determine the degree to which their parents' ages, both mothers' and fathers', correlated with academic performance as measured by high school class rank, SAT score, and GPA at Rowan. All participants were children of intact families, and the sample consisted of 25 females and 20 males. Both mother's age and father's age were found to correlate strongly with the …

The Effects Of Rotating Schedules And Weekly Tutoring Groups On The Measured Amounts Of Burnout Experienced By Teachers Who Bedside Tutor Students With Low Response Levels, Cara Davis Tomasco

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if levels of burnout experienced by seven teachers who bedside tutor medically fragile students with low response levels was reduced when two interventions were implemented over an eight week period. Intervention One was rotating half-hour tutoring schedules. Intervention Two was weekly one hour tutoring groups.

The Maslach Burnout Inventory, Third Edition, a self-administered inventory, used to measure occupational stress and burnout, was implemented to gain baseline scores, and scores after Interventions One and Two. The scores were categorized under the subscales Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, and Personal Accomplishment.

Results showed a decrease in …

The Effectiveness Of Using Brain Based Strategies In Classroom Instruction To Enhance Student Learning, Stacey Agin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of using Brain-Based strategies to teach science content. Data was gathered over a ten-week period, which encompassed the entire third marking period. The results were found using primarily the students' test scores. The scores were presented in two categories: whole class averages as well as the special education students' averages.

The subjects of this study include forty-six fifth grade students, ranging in ages from 10-11. Twenty-one are enrolled in the researcher's homeroom class, and twenty-one in a comparable fifth grade class in the same school. The researcher is the science …

The Relationship Between Eye Color And Behavioral Inhibition In Preschoolers, Dana P. Huff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to study the rate of behavioral inhibition in preschoolers as related to eye color. One study was conducted on 50 preschool age children randomly selected from a learning center. Subjects were not chosen for specific behavioral characteristics, though an emphasis was put on acquiring an even number of blue-eyed children versus brown or green-eyed children. Twenty-two blue-eyed children and 28 brown-eyed and green-eyed children participated. Classroom teachers filled out the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation, Preschool Edition, based on observable characteristics demonstrated by each child. It is a Likert-scale rating form that compiles summary …

An Interrater Reliability Study Of The Psychological Processing Checklist, Sophia Lusinski

Theses and Dissertations

This research was undertaken to conduct an interrater reliability study of the Psychological Processing Checklist, which proposes to assess in children deficits in cognitive processes.

A sample of 30 Hispanic students, male and female, ages ranging from 6 to 10, enrolled in a Bilingual Program in a district of a city in Southern New Jersey was randomly selected to participate.

Two different teachers rated each individual: one bilingual and/or ESL, the other a mainstream regular classroom teacher. Both used the Psychological Processing Checklist to rate each student.

A Study Of The Effects Of First Year Implementation Of The Everyday Mathematics Program In A Second Grade Classroom, Johanna Vicchairelli

Theses and Dissertations

The effects of the first year of the Everyday Mathematics Program for a group of 21 second graders was evaluated through a pre and post-test study during the 2000-2001 school year. The students in the study had not experienced the program in kindergarten and grade one. Math achievement was evaluated using the individually administered KeyMath Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Math Skills. Scores reflected progress in the areas of Basic Concepts, Operations and Applications. Student perceptions about math were measured using an Interest Inventory fall/spring. In addition, teacher perceptions and parent reflections were gathered to assess adaptability reactions. Standard scores, scaled …

The Effects Of Music On The Task Persistence Of Multiple Disabled Children In A Self-Contained Classroom, Lois Lapierre Lang

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of background Mozart music on the task persistence of multiple disabled children in a self-contained classroom.

The subject sample included five children ages five to nine with multiple disabilities including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and moderate cognitive delays.

The procedure used an A-B-A research design. Baseline data was collected for five consecutive days during morning arrival and individual seat work. This was followed by an intervention of playing background Mozart music during these two time periods for ten consecutive days. Baseline data was again collected for five days. A paired t …

Social Outcomes Of Inclusion On Adolescent Male Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Marc Cannuli

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to find whether students who have Asperger's Syndrome benefit in social skills from being included in the regular classroom. Despite the positive effects that may occur for the student being in the regular setting, it is hypothesized that the social skill deficits and behaviors of a student with Asperger' s Syndrome will not affect their success in the regular education setting. A self-contained classroom was compared to an inclusion classroom using four male subjects with Asperger's. Appropriate conversations and two-way conversations were observed. Collection of data consisted of counting occurrences and finding the means …

The Effects Of Sensory Stimulation On Students With Traumatic Brain Injury As Compared To Students With Developmental Disabilities, Eileen M. Bertolino-Russell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if Sensory Stimulation had an effect on the motor development and communication skills of the students with Traumatic Brain Injury as compared to the students with Developmental Disabilities. Four students participated in this study: two were Traumatic Brain Injured and the other two were Developmentally Disabled.

To establish change over time the students' communication and motor skills were observed individually three times a week for four weeks. Eight domains were covered; responses could be verbal or non-verbal.

The results indicated that Sensory Stimulation proved to be beneficial because all four students showed …

The Effects Of Block Scheduling On Students With Learning Disabilities, Karen Markart-Garofalo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects that block scheduling has on students with learning disabilities, specifically high school students. In retrospect, the surveys offered a comparison between the regular students and the learning disabled. Staff surveys provided insights to areas that need to be addressed relating specifically to the learning disabled student and block scheduling.

Surveys were distributed to 64 learning disabled students, 60 regular education students, and 38 staff members. The surveys were designed to elicit their opinions about block scheduling and how it has had an effect on the students' learning.

It was determined …

The Relationship Between Personality And Alcohol Abuse Among College Students, Amanda L. Alexander

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol abuse is a widespread problem on college campuses. It can lead to social, academic and physical consequences. Motivating factors for alcohol abuse include stress reduction, social acceptance and personality. The purpose of the present study was to determine a link between alcohol abuse and personality. The study has 53 female participants ranging in age from 18 to 26. It was hypothesized that females classified as binge drinkers would score significantly higher or lower on certain personality facets compared to females classified as non-binge drinkers. The IPILP-NEO and an alcohol use questionnaire were used to assess each participant's ranking on …

A Delphi Expert Assessment Of Professional Certification Programs For Contracting Personnel, Ronald L. Tougaw Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the strategic goals that were the basis for the DoDs implementation of mandatory certification for individuals serving in the contracting career field of the acquisition workforce. The study then went on to enlist panels of contracting experts to assess the extent to which two of the available certification programs meet, or fail to meet, those goals. The research method employed to gather input from experts was a Delphi discussion technique. Two separate panels, one consisting of Air Force civilian employees, the other of Air Force active duty officers, participated in eight Delphi iterations facilitated by the researcher. …

College Choice: An Analysis Of The Factors That Influence A Student's Decision To Enroll In A Two-Year College, Timothy S. Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

As the number of students choosing to begin their postsecondary education in a two-year college increases, a careful analysis of the factors influencing the college choice process is needed. While a significant amount of research has addressed the college choice phenomenon and models describing the process have been developed, no attempt to apply these models to the two-year college choice process has been attempted. This study examines the factors that influence the college choice process of two-year college students and determines the variance these variables have on the two-year/four-year college choice dichotomy. Using the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) …

A Comparison Of Pre-Post Student Outcomes And Perceptions After An Intervention Of A Secondary Alternative Education Program For Disruptive Students, Lloyd Sain, Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of an alternative education program on the grade point averages, attendance, and suspensions of secondary school students. In order to meet this purpose, the study tested two research questions that focused on the grade point average, attendance, and suspensions of disruptive secondary school students prior to their intervention of an alternative education program and after their return to home school for two consecutive nine weeks. Length of enrollment and its impact on grade point averages, attendance, and suspensions were also examined. The study also investigated to what extent the characteristics …

A Study Of Arkansas Public School Superintendents' Knowledge Of And Attitudes Toward Charter Schools, William E. Broadnax

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore reasons why most public school superintendents have not applied for the creation of a charter school, and to ascertain whether or not public school superintendents in Arkansas plan to open a charter school in their school district. In essence, this study investigated current knowledge and attitudes of Arkansas public school superintendents toward charter schools and Act 890 legislation. A non-experimental research design was conducted using a modified survey instrument (Ogden, 1995), which included all 310 public school superintendents in the State of Arkansas. A nonprobability sample of 160 superintendents completed and returned …

The Effects Of The Arkansas Leadership Academy's Strategic Leadership Institute For Teams On The Creation Of Learning Communities, Paula Griffith Cummins

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of this comparative study was to determine whether school districts that participated in the Arkansas Leadership Academy Strategic Leadership Institute for Teams exhibited more characteristics of a learning community, as identified by Hord (1997), than they did prior to participation. A secondary problem was to determine if districts that had significant participation in the Leadership Institute for Teams exhibited greater growth in the learning community characteristics than districts with no participation. The sample was drawn from Arkansas public school districts that had participated in any Leadership Institute for Teams during the identified time, with an equal number of …

Nutritional Food And Health Education With Instructive Lessons In The Community School Of La Rinconada, Cantón Ibarra, Province Of Imbabura, Olga Maria Gómez Chirán

Theses and Dissertations

The general objective of this work was to offer nutritional food and health education using instructive lessons that were prepared based on the diagnostic of knowledge among teachers and children in the School of La Rinconada. The study is descriptive-cross performed from October 2000 to June 2001. The universe of study is 100% of teachers and children attending schools in the communities of La Rinconada and Cuambo, totaling 104. The considered variables are diet, nutrition, and health-related topics. These variables contemplate the elementary education plan of study, besides providing training to students and teachers. Because the project was developed primarily …

A Study Of The Superintendency Supply Issue For Public Education In Arkansas, Virginia L. Abernathy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the replacement pool for the projected upcoming superintendent vacancies in Arkansas' public schools. The study sought to determine the number of public school administrators holding a superintendency license and who want to become superintendent in the state of Arkansas during the next five years. In addition, the study addressed factors that encouraged or discouraged applicants in seeking a superintendency position. The sample consisted of the 421 principals and central office administrators who currently held a superintendency license. Only 174 individuals indicated an interest in seeking a superintendency position during the next five …

Service Learning In Business Schools: What The H.E.L.P. Honduras Story Teaches About Building, Sustaining, And Replicating International Initiatives In Graduate Programs, Lisa Mali Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This document outlines the foundation and first year results of the H.E.L.P. Honduras organization, which was formed as a student-based, student-governed international outreach initiative at the Marriott School of Management at Brigham Young University. Specifically, in its first year the organization focused on providing microcredit and service relief to victims of Hurricane Mitch in Honduras.

After studying the case of H.E.L.P. Honduras, readers should conclude that educators interested in sponsoring sustainable student-run service learning organizations at private universities must address three primary issues: the problem of student selection and turnover, the need for administrative and faculty endorsement, and the need …

A Study Of Factors That Influence Academic Success Of Black American Middle School Males, Harvey S. Hicks Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The Black American male has had to face and endure many physical, emotional, and psychological hardships since his ancestors arrived in this country as slaves. One of those hardships has been his constant status as a second-class citizen. Throughout his history in America, the Black male has received unequal pay, unequal justice, unequal medical care, unequal treatment, and unequal education. Yet, despite the circumstances and the odds, there have been Black males who have achieved in many fields. However, even today, in the field of education, achieving academically is not an endeavor most Black males pursue.

This study investigated some …

Factors Related To Persistence In The Study Of French At The College Level, Caroline E. Kirkpatrick

Theses and Dissertations

The current study was conducted to address the problem of declining enrollments in French classes. The purpose was to identify those factors that are responsible for student persistence in the study of French beyond the level required to obtain a general degree from the University. Research questions included the following topics: 1) students’ perception of their motivation for language learning, 2) the relationship of certain activities, the classroom climate, the role of the teacher, and the use of technology, to their motivation for language learning, 3) reasons students give for not continuing with their foreign language studies, and 4) factors …

An Analysis Of A Case Study Of A Secondary Alternative Education Program In Brazil: Lessons For The United States, Charlene Marette Claye

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the effect of the Freirean Theory of Education on one alternative secondary education program for at-risk students in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. The learning theory, curriculum, and instructional methods were examined to determine the extent of the influence of Paulo Freire's Theory of Education, the extent of practice, and the extent to which faculty, students, and community members think it should be practiced. From this research, lessons were abstracted for use in schools in the United States. Brazil was chosen because of its shared history with the United States of slavery, colonialism, and oppression of people …

Picture This: Images Of First-Year Experience At A Metropolitan University, Jan Linda Austin

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores what influences year-to-year persistence of students and provides decision-makers at Metropolitan University and similar institutions with information on students who attend nonresidential campuses. In particular, this study investigates how the quality of the student experience, including student/institutional fit, impression of environment, social interaction, faculty/student interaction, prior perception of their fit with the institution, as well as background, college experiences, and financial aid affect student persistence at a metropolitan university in the southeastern part of the United States. In a descriptive, qualitative study, information was gathered from writing assignments, focus group sessions, and individual photo-elicitation interviews. In addition, …