Education Commons^™

A Delphi Forecast Of 1996 Roles: Air Force Institute Of Technology Information Resource Management Graduates Assigned To Base Level, David O. Block

Theses and Dissertations

Graduates of the Air Force Institute of Technology's Information Resource Management master's degree program who are subsequently assigned to base-level positions believe their IRM expertise is wasted in base administration roles that preclude the use of their up-to-date technical educations in managing automated information resources. This research forecasts the role AFIT IRM graduates assigned to base-level positions will need to fill by the year 1996. The research further determined what changes are necessary to resolve the perceived differences between current and forecast roles for these graduates. The Delphi survey method of forecasting was selected as an effective method of discovering …

A Validity Study On The Air Force Institute Of Technology Student Selection Criteria For Resident Master's Degree Programs, Daniel R. Sny

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the validity of the selection procedures that AFIT (Air Force Institute of Technology) uses for admission to their resident graduate programs by discovering if the variables considered by the AFIT registrar's office can predict success at AFIT. The study was based on a collection of 4507 academic records of US military officers, foreign officers, and civilians who attended as AFIT students between 1975-1987. The academic records provided the predictor variables to include each graduate student's undergraduate GPA, standardized test scores, and demographics. Through correlation analysis, this study examined the relationships between the …

An Experimental Study In The Use Of Computer-Based Instruction To Teach Automated Spreadsheet Functions, Russell A. Greene

Theses and Dissertations

Educational institutions at all levels are increasingly examining the advantages of computer-based instruction (CBI) to augment or replace conventional classroom learning environments. This research measures the effectiveness and efficiency of a CBI program in relation to the same course content delivered in a conventional classroom mode of an undergraduate course that teaches students the basic concepts and techniques of automated (electronic) spreadsheets. A CBI program was created to mirror the in-class instructional material of the course. The performance of the students who took the course by CBI was compared to the performance of the students who took the course in …

Robotics And Children: Their Relationship To Science Achievement, Problem Solving, Adhd Rating Scale Scores, And Learning Styles, Susan Preston Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated whether robotics could significantly improve science achievement scores or problem solving scores as compared to battery powered manipulatives or an untreated traditionally taught control. Also examined was whether there were interactions between treatment group membership and ADHD Rating Scale scores, and treatment group membership and the learning styles subscales auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. Fifteen fourth through sixth grade classes, involving 364 students from three schools participated in this study. A fifth grade science unit on force, motion, and machines was taught for 20-30 minutes daily, followed by a 50-60 minute robotics session. The treatments lasted for …

The Relationship Between Birth Order And Standardized Reading Test Scores, Eugenia M. Centa

Theses and Dissertations

The study was undertaken to determine If the only child and the eldest child in a family would score significantly higher on a standardized reading test than siblings occupying other positions in the birth order. Eleventh grade students at a public high school in a southwestern county in Georgia were surveyed as to whether they were the only child, the eldest child, or occupied another position in the familial birth order. From these surveys, the students were randomly assigned to three groups: Group 1 consisted of 30 only children (16 males, 14 females); Group 2 was comprised of 30 eldest …

A Plan For Implementation Of A Student Assistance Program Within A Rural High School In West Central Georgia, Thomas P. Callier

Theses and Dissertations

Students in school today are faced with many problems that place them "at-risk" of being unable to complete their educations. Educators are being faced with the task of providing students with assistance in coping with the problems which are interfering with the successful completion of their educations.

Research indicates that one of the most effective means of helping students cope with the problems impeding their success in schools is the student assistance program concept, which is also known as the SAР.

The resulting project shows how one rural school system planned for the implementation of a student assistance program in …

Using Colored Overlays And Reduced Lighting: A Case Study, Jeanette P. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

This case study of a forty-five year old male sought to improve the reading rate and comprehension of printed reading material and computer reading lessons with the use of a colored transparent overlay. The reading rate increased by fifty percent with the use of the colored overlay and comprehension improved thirty percent for this individual.

Effect Of Journal Writing On Students' Writing Fluency, Helen Rodgers

Theses and Dissertations

his study was an investigation of journal writing and its potential effects on writing fluency among high school students. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant gain in fluency for students who wrote daily in a journal. For the purposes of this study, fluency was defined as the total number of words in a composition. Two classes of ninth grade "at risk" students were used as the subjects of this study. Both groups were assigned an impromptu essay, which provided a baseline measurement of fluency. Subjects in the experimental group were then instructed to maintain a writing journal. …

The Effects Of Vocabulary Instructional Methods On Vocabulary Retention, Janet S. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine which of three instructional methods for teaching vocabulary (teacherpresented, student-presented, and no direct presentation) commonly used by English teachers was most effective in affecting student achievement. Sixty-two eleventh grade students in a selected county in Georgia served as subjects for the study. Pretest and posttest vocabulary scores were analyzed, and a simple analysis of variance was computed to determine the mean and standard deviation for each of the three groups. The Scheffe Test was then computed to obtain an F-ratio comparison among the groups. The analyses supported neither of the original hypotheses which assumed a …

Visual Perceptual Problems In Adult Disabled Readers, Carol Ragsdale

Theses and Dissertations

This paper attempts to discover If visual perceptual problems contribute to reading difficulties. The reason for inability by a student to interpret the symbols on the printed page is often difficult to diagnose. A study of these problems may lead to more efficient diagnosis and remediation.

Sixty adult disabled readers were tested to try to discover if their reading difficulties were caused by visual perceptual problems. These subjects were selected randomly as to sex, age and severity of reading disablement from students attending the Adult Basic Education classes. They were tested for visual acuity and visual perception. The results were …

A Plan For The Implementation Of An Articulation/Tech Prep Program Between A Rural High School In Central Georgia And A Regional Technical School, Carol E. Peacock

Theses and Dissertations

Students entering the 1990's are being faced with many different decisions as they prepare for successful careers. The workplace of the future is going to be one in which technology plays a major part. Educators are faced with the responsibility of providing students with the educational foundations and opportunities to become successful in the age of changing technologies. All of this is taking place at a time when more and more students are following a general, unfocused curriculum in high school and many are becoming so discouraged that they are dropping out of school altogether.

Research on articulation/technical preparation indicates …

Computers In The Classroom: A Survey Of Elementary Teachers, Jan Luquire

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers from three randomly selected schools in a selected county in Georgia were subjects for a survey of attitudes toward using the microcomputer as an instructional tool. The instrument used in the study was a twelve-part questionnaire which employed the Likert scale technique. The survey revealed that in general there were positive attitudes among the teachers toward using the microcomputer ln the classroom. Negative attitudes, however, were revealed when teachers were asked about certain aspects of computer use, such as planning time, computer availability, and adequate training for teachers. These are some of the problems which must be addressed and …

Richards Junior High School New Teacher Handbook, L. Wayne Lanier

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers entering a new school are faced with many stressful situations. Not being aware of the policies and practices which are specific to the new schoo1 cause the teacher to make errors which further pressure the situation. Compounding the problems of the new teacher is that there is no one to lead one through the rough times.

Research on mentoring indicates that one of the most valuable sources of information for the new teacher is a faculty handbook. The Leadership Team at Richards Junior High School recognized the need for a handbook for new teachers and commissioned the creation of …

Pretest Development For Gifted Biology Students, Paulette B. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Public education has redirected concern for the education of a subpopulation within the public schools which have special needs rooted in their innate abilities to excel in selected areas. That subpopulation identified as gifted students has traditionally been approached with a variety of attitudes and teaching methods which may or may not have fully addressed the student's unique talents. The implementation of a comprehensive program of gifted education within the school system isa renewed commitment to provide appropriate education for this subpopulation of gifted learners and as such involves different teaching methodologies. The utilization of an individualized learning program which …

Calculators In Special Education Mathematics Classes In A Junior High School, Celia M. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations

Very little has been written about the use of calculators by children with exceptional needs, although calculators are already being used by most adults who seldom do any but the simplest calculations by hand (Thorpe, 1988). They use calculators for everything from balancing checkbooks to computing sales tax.

Yet there are teachers and many parents who believe, says Wheatley (1984), that using calculators will lessen the opportunity for students to master basics. They believe that calculators should not be used until children become proficient with paper-and-pencil calculations. Some say that students should become facile in the use of calculators. Still …

The Effects Of Early Education On The Receptive Language Development Of Kindergarten Children, Barbara C. Everly

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the receptive language of children who had attended an early childhood education center, and those who had not. Subjects were 64 kindergarten students from an elementary school on a military base in the southeast. The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test- Revised (PPVT-R) was administered to all subjects. The t test for independent means was computed; no significant differences in mean scores existed between the two groups. Further analyses of the subjects were made to assess if age or gender influenced the results. The only significant difference …

The Relationship Between Reading Attitudes And Verbal Aptitude, Donald W. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred and five twelfth-grade students randomly selected from two public high schools in a southwestern county In Georgia were selected as subjects for a study of the relationship between reading attitudes and verbal SAT scores. Total reading attitude scores were generated, and verbal SAT scores were obtained from the self report of the subjects. From these surveys, the students were assigned to one of three groups of thirty five each, depending on their reading attitude scores: positive attitudes, neutral attitudes, and negative attitudes. A two-way analysis of variance, which was used to compute the F-ratio for the groups, supported …

A Correlational Study Of Locus Of Control And Reading Achievement Among Gifted Middle School Students, Jerry A. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between reading achievement and internal locus of control among eighth-grade gifted students attending a rural middle school in Georgia. The NowickiStrjckland Locus of Control Scale was used to determine a locus of i control score for each of the eighteen subjects involved. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills Form G was .used to obtain an achievement score for each subject. The study used a correlational research design. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between test scores. Analysis of statistical data revealed a .0985 correlation. This correlation was not significant.

The Relationship Between Professed Student Reading Interest And Student Choice Of Reading Topics, Mary E. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred seventh- and eighth-grade students in an Inner-city Georgia school served as subjects for surveys of reading interests. The two surveys were designed to gather information from students for the book topics they professed to want to read, and the actual reported topics they read. Trends of Interest by subject and sex were generated. The survey revealed reading Interests of students according to gender. Further, teacher-assigned reading and student reading interests varied to such a substantial degree that a strong case may be made for changing assigned reading to make it more in line with student interest.

A Handbook For Secondary Teachers Of Remedial Mathematics In Georgia, Diane Koart

Theses and Dissertations

Several changes affecting the context of mathematics education were identified in Reshaping School Mathematics (Mathematical Sciences Education Board National Research Council [MSEB], 1990). The need for mathematics has changed to demand a higher level of quantitative literacy. New mathematics has been discovered and types of mathematical applications have increased. The development of technology has impacted mathematics greatly. Greater mathematical skills are demanded in the work place. Better understanding of how students learn and changes in international competitiveness also affect mathematics education. These changes implied the need for a new practical philosophy of mathematics education as a basis for curricular reform. …

Teacher Attitude And Teaching The Black Dialect Student To Write Using Standard English, Julia Holmes-Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study examined the relationship between low achievement in writing and teacher attitudes, both positive and negative, toward nonstandard language use. The study also examined teacher attitude toward strategies to improve those skills. Finally, this study compared the methods selected to teach Black-dialect speakers with those selected to teach whites.

Participants in this study were language arts teachers in four rural Southwest Georgia counties. The data gathering Instrument was a Likert-scale questionnaire. Comparisons were made based on participants' years experience and level of training. The results indicated that these teachers were positive concerning the Black-dialect speakers' ability to write …

Success In Written Expression: A Case Study, Susan Flowers Hamby

Theses and Dissertations

In order to receive a high school diploma, a student in any Georgia high school must pass the Georgia Basic Skills Test in three areas: Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. The subject of this case study is an eighteen-year-old male student who after four attempts passed the Writing portion of this test. Because this is a case study, the findings are reported in a nontraditional manner using a narrative style with first person commentary.

Much of the data in this case study were collected through interviews with the subject referred to as Tim, his mother, a school examiner, and several of …

Cinema As Literature: A Semester Course In Language Arts, Greg Westbrook

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to prepare "Cinema as Literature," a curriculum guide for an elective course in high school English for the Muscogee County School System, to be implemented in school year 1992-93. The proposed elective course will utilize cinema material for the application of literary techniques and modes of criticism for a fuller understanding of the relationship between movies and printed matter as mediums of literary and artistic expression.

The project has produced this curriculum guide through a review of relevant current resources, and in cooperation with the local county school authorities, with the eventual aim of …

The Relationship Between Mathematical Self-Concept And Math Performance, Linda M. Arrington

Theses and Dissertations

Two hundred sixty-three ninth grade students in a selected high school of a selected large school district were surveyed for mathematical self-concept. The instrument used was Gourgey's Mathematical Self-Concept Scale. Mathematical Self-Concept was compared to performance as measured by numerical class grades and by achievement test scores. The results were correlated using the Pearson-r formula, and the hypothesis of a positive relationship existing between mathematical self-concept and performance was supported. The findings suggested that improving mathematical self-concept would help to improve math performance, as measured by numerical class grade.

A Survey Of Elementary Students' Attitudes Regarding Computer Assisted Instruction, Gary A. Shouppe

Theses and Dissertations

Three hundred ninety-six students In a selected elementary school In Georgia served as subjects for the survey of attitudes toward Computer Assisted Instruction and the school environment. Total responses were tabulated and compared by grade levels, genders, and ethnic origins. The survey revealed strong positive attitudes toward Computer Assisted Instruction and the learning environment. The positive attitudes of Students At-Risk presented by the surveys indicated the current method of instruction used in this particular school was having a positive effect on the attitudes of the students who attend there. Additional data collected supported existing studies concerning student attitudes toward CAI.

Job Satisfaction Of Nurse Anesthesia Faculty: A Preliminary Study, James Patrick Embrey

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how satisfied nurse anesthesia faculty are with their jobs. In addition, this study identified factors that influenced a nurse anesthesia faculty member's job satisfaction level.

A total of 304 nurse anesthesia educators from across the United States participated in this questionnaire survey study. A researcher developed personal data form (PDF) collected demographic information. The 1967 version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) provided job satisfaction measurements.

There was a statistically significant correlation between the general satisfaction scores measured by the PDF and MSQ. Analysis of demographic data provided a CRNA educator profIle. Job satisfaction data indicated that …

The Development Of In-Service Training For Teachers And Counselors Working With Adult Homeless Students, Dagmar F. Pelzer

Theses and Dissertations

The number of homeless persons in the United States has been increasing rapidly over the past few years. Nationwide estimates range between three hundred thousand and three million homeless, with a ten to thirty percent annual increase. Efforts to reduce homelessness consist primarily of the provision of housing and employment.

Dade County Public Schools initiated educational programs for homeless adults in February of 1988. Between 1988 and 1991, over three thousand homeless adults were enrolled in part-time and full-time academic and vocational programs. In-service training for teachers and counselors working with the homeless needed to be developed and implemented because …

A Case Study Of An Effective Board Of Directors Of A Nonprofit Organization: Perceptions, Processes, Characteristics, And Diversity, Marcia Cohen Penn

Theses and Dissertations

This case study examines an effective board of directors of a nonprofit organization. The research identifies three qualitative characteristics of the Board, seeks to understand benefits and challenges of this Board's diversity, the processes it follows and Board members perceptions of Board effectiveness. Twenty-seven active Board members are interviewed in depth, observed at Board and Committee meetings and surveyed as to their perceptions of Board effectiveness. The results are presented based on emerging data gathered over a six-month period of time. Thirty-seven different definitions of Board effectiveness have been identified by Board members in this study.

Conclusions and implications are …

Classroom Modifications For Learning Disabled Adolescents: The Effects Of Inservice And Follow-Up Consultation On Four Regular Classroom Teachers, Lynne Chalmers

Theses and Dissertations

This study asked the question: What are the effects of an inservice on classroom modifications for secondary learning disabled students on the teaching practice of four highly able teachers? A secondary question asked was: To what extent are teachers‘ behavior and attitudes affected by follow-up consultation? The participants were four secondary regular classroom teachers representing four curricula areas (English, social studies, health, and biology). All four had been recognized as having the ability to work well with learning disabled students. The procedure used for the study was a form of naturalistic inquiry, specifically participant observation. All four teachers participated in …

Introductory Dataperfect® Instruction, Frances Jenson Larsen

Theses and Dissertations

The project should be used in a beginning computer class. These units contain projects from simple to complex. The first instructional unit uses a database that comes with the DataPerfect® program. The students build and manipulate a small database. Reports are prepared, and finally the students design an original database. These instructional units are intended to be used in a high school classroom with the DataPerfect® computer program. DataPerfect® is a copyrighted program marketed by WordPerfect Corporation of Orem, Utah.