Education Commons^™

Clinical Profile Of A Juvenile Delinquent, Arjan Graybill

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempted to explore the relationship that a juvenile delinquent has with three major influences: school, peers, and family. It was hypothesized that juvenile delinquents possess a poor relationship with these influences. Subjects were administered a survey which assesses the relationship with school, peers and family. 19 inmates in a juvenile detention center were administered the survey. There were 15 subjects in the control group who were administered the survey as well. Results from independent t-scores reveal a significant difference in the relationship with school, peers, and family for the two groups. Juvenile delinquents were found to have a …

A Comparison Of Active Learning And Direct Instruction On College Students Enrolled In Two Classes Of Introductory Photography, Deborah A. Hughes-Gallinelli

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to learn about teaching methods and their effects on achievement and skill. The problem was to investigate the effects of both active learning and direct instruction (lecture/demonstration) on students' ability to produce a continuous tone, ten step gray scale, black and white photographic print.

The researcher arranged for a college instructor of photography to teach two intact classes of General Photography using the two instructional methods. The objectives for both classes were the same. Each student in both groups completed eight photographic assignments. After twelve (12) weeks of instruction and studio/lab work, each student …

The Effects Of Range Of Notes, Gender, And Songs With Text Or Without Text On The Vocal Accuracy Of First, Second And Third Grade Students, Nancy J. Hanna

Theses and Dissertations

There are four problems that address the effects of range of notes, gender, and songs with text or without text on the vocal accuracy of first, second and third grade students.

Thirty students each from grades one, two and three were recorded singing four songs in solo. Each student sang a song with a restricted range of notes with text and then on the neutral syllable "loo." Each student then sang a song with a wide range of notes with text and then on the neutral syllable "loo." The recordings of the students singing were then evaluated for accuracy of …

Postal Workers And Stress, Bobbie A. Person

Theses and Dissertations

It is suggested that a plausible theoretical link exists between the management of change and recent killings in the United States Postal Service. The degradation of labor associated with the scientific management of technological change produces stress and frustration that weaken employee integration and undermine existing forms of social control. Certain employees reject prevailing definitions of situations provided by those in power and develop alternative meanings and patterns of behavior, including assaultive violence.

To examine this theory in more depth, 120 Occupational Stress questionnaires and rating sheets were randomly distributed to 30 Mailhandlers and 30 Machine Clerks working the "day" …

The Relationship Between Birth Order Status And Personality Traits, Michele D'Angelo

Theses and Dissertations

Alfred Adler pioneered birth order research having found that birth order had a great deal to do with how adults interact in the world and the development of personality traits. In an expansion of his theory, the relationship between birth order and personality was examined in this study. One hundred thirty undergraduate and graduate students, with ages ranging from eighteen to forty-six and different ethnic backgrounds were tested. They were group administered the BASIS-A Personality Inventory as well as a questionnaire which assessed their birth order. The BASIS-A is based on Alder's Individual Psychology and asked the participants to recollect …

Comparing The Stress Levels Of Inclusion Teachers And Non-Inclusion Teachers, Michelle Lynne Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the practice of inclusion had a significant effect on the stress levels of inclusion teachers. Forty-seven elementary school teachers were compared across various teacher demographics. The hypothesis stated that the stress levels of inclusion teachers would be higher than the stress levels of regular education teachers based on the belief that inclusion teachers have a heavier workload. In previous studies, a heavier workload has been shown to be significantly related to higher stress levels. The Occupational Stress Inventory was administered in two schools in Southern New Jersey in January …

A Reliability Study Of The Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, Jeffrey R. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to establish test-retest reliability coefficients for the Joseph Self-Concept Scale for Young Children (JSSYC). This study employed a one-week duration between administrations of the test instrument. There were thirty-four sixth-grade subjects used, ranging in age from eleven to thirteen. The JSSYC is an individually administered, interview type self-concept measure. The adolescent version of the JSSYC was used in this study, which is designed for use with children seven years of age and older. The Pearson product-moment correlation statistical procedure was used to calculate the correlation coefficients for this sample. The correlations for both the …

A Descriptive Study Of The Opinions Of Fifth Through Eighth Grade Students On Addictive Substances, Denise Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine whether changes in attitudes would occur in students from Grade Five through Grade Eight in regard to addictive substances, such as alcohol and cigarettes. The study consisted of 85 students enrolled in a local Roman Catholic Grammar School. Students were given the Youth Attitude Survey, which was developed at Columbia University. The survey yielded results that were related to risk factors for future drug use. In a variety of areas, including whether marijuana should be legalized and if the student believed they would use drugs in the future, there was a pronounced …

Cochlear Implants, A Study Of Children Implanted Prelingually And Postlingually: What Age Best Facilitates Oral Language Development, Lisa A. Stillwagon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the most appropriate age for young hearing impaired children to receive a cochlear implant that would best facilitate oral language development. The study compared the oral language skills of five hearing impaired preschoolers, before and after implantation. Information was obtained through student case files including both formal and informal records and reports. Records included: progress reports, IEPs, audiological evaluations, and speech and language assessments.

The results of the study indicated that the development of oral language skills in hearing impaired preschoolers who received cochlear implants at ages 3 and 4 varies due …

A Validity Study For The Adolescent And Adult Self-Concept Retrospective Scale And The Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: 2, Kelly R. Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Adolescent and Adult Self-Concept Retrospective Scale (AASRS) by comparing it to the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale: 2 (TSCS: 2) on a population consisting of fifty-nine college students ranging in age from 18 to 20. The study also examined whether there is a significant correlation between male and female adolescents with regard to self-concept.

Two trained examiners administered the AASRS and the TSCS:2. One examiner administered the AASRS and the other administered the TSCS:2. All fifty-nine students were tested on both tests over a two-week period.

A Pearson Correlation produced …

Effects Of Divorce On Levels Of Conflictual Independence In Late Adolescence, Jill Fredricks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of divorce on late adolescents' levels of conflictual independence during the separation-individuation process.

The sample consisted of 94 undergraduate students from Rowan University in southern New Jersey. This was a between subjects research design which involved a self-report inventory. Levels of conflictual independence were measured by the conflictual independence subscale (Cl) of Hoffman's Psychological Separation Inventory, a 138 question inventory which asks questions about one's relationships with the mother and father.

The statistical test used to analyze the data in this study was a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) as …

The Effectiveness Of Functional Analysis And Behavioral Intervention For Children Who Are Multi-Handicapped And Exhibit Challenging Behaviors, Barbara A. Horner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of functional analysis of challenging behaviors and behavioral intervention programs on children with multiple handicaps. It was hypothesized that there would be difference in the exhibition of challenging behaviors in children with multiple handicaps following administration of a functional analysis and a behavioral intervention plan. Ten challenging behaviors exhibited by seven children who are multi-handicapped were examined using the process of functional analysis (records review, Motivation Assessment Scale and Analog Setting/Environmental Manipulation) and behavioral intervention. The children ranged in age from five years, four months, to eight years, nine months. …

Comparative Study On The Incidence Of School-Related Violent Crimes In Urban, Suburban, And Rural Locales, Trina C. Ragsdale

Theses and Dissertations

Concern about school violence, crime and victimization has been a pressing issue since the 1950's. Only recently have the many facets of the complex social issue of school violence been thoroughly investigated, particularly, the high rates of violence among middle and elementary school students, and the upsurge of violence in suburban and rural school districts. Due to the increasing rate of school related violent crimes, Congress mandated districts to track the rate at which violent crimes occur in their school and develop intervention plans aimed at ameliorating the problem. Results of the study suggest school violence is not constrained by …

An Evaluation Of The Effects Of Project Read On The Reading Achievement Of Primary Age Disabled Learners, Susan L. Pennock

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a multisensory approach to reading being used in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District's Special Services Department. Project Read, developed by Language Circle Enterprises, is being used to teach phonology, comprehension, and written expression to students with learning disabilities. A pull-out approach is used with the second and third grades in one elementary school. Students are mainstreamed for homeroom, lunch, science and social studies. They are pulled out and sent to a Learning Center in the school for reading, language arts, and math. Reading scores were used from the previous …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Direct Instruction Program In Mathematics, Jennifer A. Laurrell-Klotz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to determine if participation in a year long mathematics direct instructional program would accelerate the rate of mathematical achievement in a group of learning disabled children. The subjects of this study were comprised of five eleven-year-old fifth grade students who were classified as Learning Disabled. Outcome measures utilized included teacher assigned report card grades, a basic skills test, a two-step word problem assessment and the Key Math Diagnostic Arithmetic Test-Revised as a functional measure.

The results of this study indicate that, when utilizing formal and functional measures, students make greater progress acquiring facts and …

A Pre-Publication Reliability Study Of The Revised Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, Dianne Wilkens

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability of the Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, as an instrument for measuring self-concept. The sample consisted of thirty-four first and pre-first students from the Mary E. Roberts Elementary School, Moorestown, New Jersey. The timeframe for the testing was November 1998 through February 1999. Each student was individually tested utilizing the JSSYC.

The null hypothesis, stating there is no difference between the test and re-test scores, was rejected. The alternative hypothesis, stating that there is a difference between the test and re-test scores was accepted.

A paired sample correlation analysis …

An Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of The Glass Analysis Method Of Word Decoding With Second And Third Grade Disabled Learners, Leanne Bernosky

Theses and Dissertations

Glass Analysis for Decoding Only is one of the many methods available for teaching decoding skills to students with disabilities. This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of Glass Analysis for Decoding Only on the reading achievement of primary age students with learning disabilities. A convenience group of eight second and third grade students receiving instruction in the self-contained special education classroom served as subjects. For a period of five months, students received Glass Analysis as the primary method of decoding instruction. Research examined the effect of this instruction in the areas of word recognition, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, …

A Validity Study Of The Revised Joseph Pre-School And Primary Self-Concept Screening Test, Angela Lee

Theses and Dissertations

In order to identify students with low self-concept accurately, a valid test must be developed and administered. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the revised Joseph Pre-School and Primary Self Concept Screening Test (JPPSST). The alternate hypothesis investigated in this study was that the revised JPPSST is a valid test when compared to the Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. Both tests were given to 34 African-American students at a Philadelphia elementary school. An additional research question was investigated to determine whether the test scores could be used to predict academic performance. The results of both tests were …

The Suburban Middle Class At Risk: A Profile Of Students Who Are Referred To The Office, Carole Joyce Pearson

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to identify the at risk students at a suburban high school based on the frequency of referrals to the office, and to determine why these students continue to misbehave. A list of students called down to the office was provided daily. Using the Call Down List, names of students who were referred to the office most frequently were compiled. A random sample of 23 students frequently on the list was used to develop a profile of the nature of the misbehavior, and the administrative action taken; patterns of attendance, lateness, and academic standing …

Implementing A Peer Mediation Program To Reduce Discipline Problems In Pine Hill Schools, Pamela Bates Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of Peer Mediation, mentoring and counseling techniques on sixth grade males in order to improve behavior and reduce discipline problems. The population was a selected group of males from the sixth grade who had experienced significant disciplinary actions. The population was studied for approximately three marking periods while receiving a combined program of counseling with a male counselor, male mentoring and Peer Mediation. The sample size, although small, was totally representative of the socially unacceptable behavior population. The data gathering procedures consisted of individualized interviews with each participant determining the …

A Study Of Teacher Burnout At Archway Programs, Scott D. Bates

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to research the rate of burnout amongst special education teachers. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach 1981), the intern will give the survey to special education teachers over a period of time. This study will result in the intern having a better understanding of the factors that cause burnout and who is most susceptible to burnout.

The teaching staff of 64, representing a variety of classifications, will serve as the subjects of the research study. The researcher will determine the relationship between such educators and their degree of burnout, and the correlation between burnout …

Promoting Staff Development At Midway School, Noreen C. Glading-Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Midway School loses forty percent of its teaching staff on a yearly basis. The purpose of this study was to identify specific factors and their relationship to the absence of a professional development program. The study was designed to answer the questions of how professional development affects the attitudes and outlook of teachers, and was staff development the most effective way of achieving positive attitudes or enthusiasm for the teaching profession.

The researcher used six teachers from three distinct groups, all with at least ten years in the teaching profession. All six teachers had experienced either traditional or individual forms …

Gender Bias And Women In Leadership, Rose Mary Judge

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a stronger equity plan to career major areas whose students have experienced inequity in a vocational program that perpetuates gender bias and harassment of female students. This particular sample involves twenty-two students who are in non-traditional career major areas.

Interviews involved the Building Principal, the Affirmative Action Officer, a Guidance Counselor, and two Career Major teachers. Surveys were used to collect data from students in non-traditional career majors. Questionnaires were given to all academic teachers. Data analysis consisted of using the information from the interviews, surveys, …

Peer Observation: A Supplement To Formal Evaluation, William K. Hanley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the benefits of peer observation as it affected the teaching staff of Woodbury Junior/Senior High School (New Jersey).

A survey was administered to a group of 13 teachers in the Woodbury Public Schools after they had experienced peer observation. The original sample included 28 teachers who had been selected by the intern in an attempt to guarantee diversity in age, experience, gender, and teaching discipline. Participation was voluntary and those who volunteered were permitted to select their partner and choose their role in the process. Twenty-four teachers wished to participate but almost …

A Study Of The Shamong Township School District's Middle School Program At The Indian Mills Memorial School, Caroline Elizabeth Kerfoot

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present middle school program at the Indian Mills Memorial School, and create a new program. The program was based on research that enumerated the best practices in exemplary middle schools and the needs and characteristics of young adolescents.

The sample was the 51 teachers of the IMMS, five administrators, parents, and one class each from fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

The survey used was Middle Grades Assessment Program from the Center for Early Adolescence, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There were different surveys for students, parents, teachers, and …

A Study Of The Use Of Computer Technology By Students With Special Needs, Debra A. Mercincavage

Theses and Dissertations

A study was conducted to investigate the use of computer technology during the instruction of students with special needs. The study examined how computer technology was used during instruction by special education teachers and by students with mild disabilities and students with severe disabilities. The relationship between the category of student with special needs, the academic areas of Language Arts and Mathematics and the computer application used during instruction were the focus of the research. Special education teachers of students with mild and students of severe disabilities teaching in a variety of classroom setting were surveyed. Teachers of students with …

Behavioral Change Encouraged Noncoercively: An Effectiveness Study Of Riverside Middle School's Time Out Room, Dennis S. Perry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the newly implemented time-out room in changing the negative behavior that is exhibited by some middle school children. The time-out room is similar to the traditional in-school suspension room. The rooms differ in the duration of time that a student spends in the room and the services that the child receives while there. The student who was sent to the time-out room for behavior deemed unacceptable developed a plan to prevent any future reoccurrence of a similar offense. The student who spent time in the time-out room also received …

The Infusion Of Service-Learning Into The Curriculum Of Cinnaminson High School, Robert A. Krastek

Theses and Dissertations

This study was done to determine the effect of service-learning on the students of Cinnaminson High School. This was the first phase of a long-range project that would lead to every Cinnaminson High School student being introduced to service-learning, during his or her high school career.

The study was conducted with a limited student population that included students in the Advanced Placement United States History II classes. These were homogeneous classes of about fifty-one students who were given the option of creating a service-learning project. They were required to produce a portfolio on their experience.

Data was collected through the …

The Quality Of School Life Scale As A Predictive Indicator Of Student Disengagement From School, Sandra M. Lazar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ex post facto, action research project is to test the hypothesis that the Quality of School Life Scale (Epstein & McPartland, 1976) has the predictive capability to identify students, early in a school year, who later in the school year manifest traditional disengaged behaviors. If the hypothesis is supported and students who, as a group, score lower on the QSL Scale display significantly more traditional disengaged behaviors than higher scoring students, the finding would support using the QSL as a proactive assessment tool to identify students who are at-risk for disengagement.

This study has several phases: …

The Effect Of An Alternative In-School Suspension Program On The Suspension Rate Of Special Education Students As Compared To A Program Of Out-Of-School Suspension, Kelly Brydges

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if an alternative in-school suspension program will reduce the suspension rate of special education students as compared to an out-of-school suspension program. Thirteen special education students were selected to be the subjects of this research. The discipline records of these thirteen students from the 1997-98 school year were compared to the 1998-99 school year. The alternative in-school suspension program for the 1998-99 school year differs from the 1997-98 school year. The discipline policy for the 1998-99 school year includes a Learning Center which is attended from three in the afternoon to seven …