Education Commons^™

Spiritual Formation Through Residential Living, Michelle Kay Northcutt

Masters Theses

Higher education institutions are continuing to advance in the area of educating students through the residence hall experience. Educating through the residence halls deals with a variety of facets, including spirituality. This study was able to ascertain what college students believe about their own spirituality, determine that peer groups and personal experiences are the greatest influencing factors that play a role in the spiritual formation of college students, determine that these factors can either have a positive impact or act as hindrances to their spiritual formation, and discover that college students believe it is important to incorporate their spirituality with …

Post-Secondary Retention Of The Non-Traditional Student At The Davenport College Career Center, Sheryl Roslund

Masters Theses

In order to increase understanding regarding the factors contributing to student attrition at the Davenport College Career Center, a survey was undertaken to determine how those elements over which the school has control impacted its students' decisions to discontinue pursuing their educational goals. The survey of 600 non-returning students asked questions on the following attributes of the college: admissions, advising, academics, support services, and facilities. Survey recipients were divided into two categories: those students who had intended to take a full program of study and those students who had come to college to update their skills with only a few …

Improving The Writing Skills Of At-Risk Students Through The Use Of Writing Across The Curriculum And Writing Process Instruction, Theresa A. Dean-Rumsey

Masters Theses

A plan for improving the writing skills of at-risk students was developed and implemented. Subjects were fifteen seventh-grade Title I students who demonstrated weak writing skills. Evidence for the existence of the problem included MEAP test scores and teacher observations. A review of research on writing pointed to the following solutions to the problem: increasing students’ experiences with writing by implementing writing across the curriculum, improving students’ knowledge and use of the writing process, and direct instruction in writing strategies and techniques. Results of the post-test did not indicate a significant improvement in writing had occurred as a result of …

Online Networks In Institutions Of Higher Education: An Assessment Of Student Use, Norbaiduri Ruslan

Masters Theses

Online networks in university campuses are expected to enhance the learning process, an argument founded on the theories of Cognitive Apprenticeship, Situated Cognition, and Social Constructivism. However, the extent to which students use these networks should be a significant predictor of such benefits.

This study investigated the patterns of use of online networks in universities with a survey administered to 299 students enrolled in a random sample of undergraduate classes at Western Michigan University during the summer semester of 1998.

The findings show extensive use of email and the World Wide Web for activities that arguably benefit their education. Other …

The Effects Of Phonological Awareness Activities On At-Risk First Grade Readers, Kimberly L. Van Belois

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to look at a variety of phonological awareness studies and their impact on students with reading difficulties and to implement a program to develop student's reading abilities and look at its impact on student's knowledge of vowel and consonant recognition, vowel sounds, and sight words. Phonological awareness can be defined as one's sensitivity to, or explicit awareness of, the phonological structure of words in one's language. A number of researchers (eg., Libennan, Shankweiler, & Liberman, 1989) have concluded that adequate awareness of the phonological structure of words helps to make learning to read words …

Development Of The Curriculum For Use In A Primary Multi-Age Classroom Using A Curriculum Map, Rae Anne Besser Hansberry

Masters Theses

Curriculum maps for multi-age classes are difficult to organize. This paper explores some of the ways that curricula has been organized in the past and a method developed by Heidi Hayes Jacobs . This method differs from other mapping strategies because it starts with the state standards and benchmarks and fits the curricula into this framework. This paper also explores the concept of multi-age groupings to insure a better understanding of the history of grouping students in education, the philosophy behind multi-age, as well as some of the benefits and detractors of this concept. The process for developing a curriculum …

Effect Of Concentrated Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Gel On Moderate-Intensity Intermittent Exercise, Sarah M. Handlogten

Masters Theses

The researcher compared the effects of a carbohydrate-electrolyte (CE) gel and water ingested 5 min before and after 20 min of moderate-intensity running for I hour. Six dependent variables were measured: heart rate (HR), VO₂, blood glucose, respiratory exchange ratio (R), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and timed exercise performance. Independent variables were condition, trials (2), and sample time. On 4 days, subjects completed a 60-min training run at 65% of maximal oxygen consumption in 20-min bouts with 3-min rests between bouts. A timed 200-m sprint followed each run. Two trials were completed with each condition. Water was …

Does A Phonological Intervention Program Using A Modified Auditory Discrimination In Depth Program Make A Difference In Kindergarten Students' Ability To Manipulate Phonemes?, Julie Kay Osbourne

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if a training program based on the Lindamood Auditory Discrimination in Depth Program made a difference in students' abilities to manipulate phonemes and identify similarities and differences in initial consonants between words. Kindergarten students were pre- and post-tested using the Test of Phonological Awareness (TOPA) and the Test of Auditory Analysis Skills. While students showed substantial improvement in their abilities to manipulate phonemes, their improvement on initial consonant skills, as measured by the TAAS was not as substantial.

How Phonemic Awareness Training And Direct Phonics Instruction Effect The Decoding Ability Of Children With Reading Problems, Lynda Elaine Thatcher

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to study how phonemic awareness and direct phonics instruction can effect the decoding abilities of children with reading problems. The importance of having phonics and phonemic awareness in the initial teaching of reading to young children was discussed. A review of the literature indicated that there is causative correlation between phonemic awareness and decoding skills. The research demonstrated that phonemic awareness intervention programs were very effective in increasing reading skills. Finally, the research implied that an effective reading program for young children with reading problems should include both phonological training and phonics instruction. In …

The Reliability Of Emg Normalization Procedures For Three Muscles Involved In Knee Extension, James John Sweet

Masters Theses

Analyses of 3 knee extensors, vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and vastus lateralis, were conducted to examine the reliability of (a) maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) across trials (2), days (5), and joint angles (5); and (b) normalized EMG responses during dynamic knee extension at 2 submaximal work loads. Strength (cable tension) and integrated peak EMG (surface electrodes) were measured during the MVIC. Subjects (N = 44) performed 2 consecutive MVICs with 2 min rest between trials at 110°, 90°, 70°, 50°, and 30° of knee flexion, followed by 2 submaximal dynamic knee extension exercises. Intraclass correlation (R) values for the …

The Effects Of Step Height, Cadence, And Choreography On Biochemical Factors In Step Aerobics, Stacie Moore

Masters Theses

The problem of the study was to determine the effect of step height, speed, and choreography on ground reaction forces, electromyography of the knee extensors, and center of gravity displacement in step aerobics. Two step heights, 6 and 8 in.; two speeds, 126 and 132 bpm; and three steps, basic step, tum step, and hop step, were studied for a single subject across 5 trials. The muscles studied included the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis. Results indicated: (a) significant difference existed between the cadences as well as between the step heights for the sagittal plane center of gravity; …

Effects Of The Prbar And Powerbar On Fat Metabolism, Chad F. Witt

Masters Theses

The purpose was to compare the effect of dietary supplementation using two different energy bars, the PRBar and the PowerBar, ingested 1 hour before exercise, on the exercise metabolism of endurance athletes. Four dependent variables were measured: respiratory exchange ratio (R), oxygen consumption (VO₂), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and blood glucose. Independent variables were bars (2), trials (2), and sample time. Sample times occurred at 5-min intervals for R, VO₂, and RPE. Blood glucose was sampled before exercise, at 15 min and 25 min during exercise, and after exercise. Subjects completed four 35-min training runs, …

The Effect Of Caffeine On Reaction Time, Hand Steadiness, And Certain Physiological Variables, Amy K. Ryan

Masters Theses

The problem of this study was to analyze the effect of caffeine on heart rate, blood pressure, reaction time, and hand steadiness. Subjects (N = 20) were classified as high-caffeine users or low-caffeine users. Heart rate, blood pressure, reaction time, and hand steadiness were measured. Subjects then consumed 24 oz of coffee containing 345 mg of caffeine in a 5-min period. Dependent variables were measured again at 30, 60, and 90 min after caffeine administration. Significant differences were found among test time means for every dependent variable except hand steadiness. No difference was found between the high-caffeine-use group and the …

The Effect Of Unloading Body Weight During Aerobic Exercise On Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, And Perceived Exertion, Carolynn J. Bolander

Masters Theses

The problem of the study was to examine the blood pressure, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion of asymptomatic, active individuals during submaximal treadmill exercise while using an unloading system. Two levels of unloading, 20% unloaded body weight (UBW) and 40% UBW, were compared to 0% UBW. Treadmill speed was determined by the speed required to reach a steady state heart rate of 70% of maximum heart rate in an unloaded state. Twenty subjects, between the ages of 18 and 42 years, served as subjects. Subjects were grouped with respect to fitness level; walkers were those subjects who walked …

Barriers To Implementing Inclusion Practices, Sara Ann Sposaro, Julie Mara Lensink

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Qasswide Peer Tutoring On Students’ With Learning Disabilities Basic Reading Skills, Susan Louise Tucek

Masters Theses

The effects that Classwide Peer Tutoring has on students’ with learning disabilities basic reading skill was examined. Classwide Peer Tutoring is a program that allows students to engage more time in actual reading behavior with partner feedback. One instructor implemented Classwide Peer Tutoring for a 4 week period to 11 students who had learning disabilities in the areas of reading and writing. One volunteer was used twice a week to emit tests of the students’ progress. Results of the study indicated that compared to their pretest scores, the post-test scores showed that students made slightly positive improvements in the areas …

Strategies, Obstacles, And Methods Related To Conducting Building Bond Campaigns In Rural Illinois Unit (K-12) School Districts, Todd E. Pence

Masters Theses

This study was designed to determine (a) the strategies used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to help pass school building bond issues, (b) the obstacles that school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts faced when trying to pass building bond issues, and (c) the methods used by school district personnel in rural Illinois unit school districts to overcome the obstacles.

The study took place during the spring of 1998. The study included a survey that was sent to the superintendents of the 88 small and medium sized (less than 1,800 students) rural Illinois …

Assessing The Learning Needs Of Adults With Acquired Physical Disability In Vocational Rehabilitation, Kathleen E. Mennen

Masters Theses

It is difficult to ascertain the learning needs of adults with acquired physical disability in vocational rehabilitation. The onset of the disability reactivates and/or creates various psychological, social, and educational problems in the learner’s life, which makes assessing his learning needs more complex. This study discusses the particular challenges of assessing the learning needs of this population. It also describes the development and use of a screening tool with which to make objective decisions in selecting assessments for this population.

Kindergarten Schedules: Half-Day, Full-Day, Alternate-Day, Christine Ann Mcgladdery

Masters Theses

Kindergarten schedules have been changing from the widely-used half-day everyday schedule to full-day everyday and full-day alternate-day schedules. This study looks at why these changes have been taking place. It also looks at research of test results of children enrolled in each of the schedules, including longitudinal studies to determine if there is a continuation of benefits gained from a schedule. Parent and teacher attitudes toward the different schedules are researched. Surveys were sent to parents and teachers of Lutheran schools in West Michigan, particularly Our Savior Lutheran School in Grand Rapids, to gather opinions to assist in making a …

Learning Disabilities: The Definitional Dilemma, Gretchen Burman

Masters Theses

As professionals in the fields of education and psychology, we often focus on the children who are having difficulty learning in and adjusting to school, children who may have learning disabilities. We examine test results and what they say about how a child learns; we consider what the teacher says about the difficulties the child has in the classroom. Teachers discuss how frustrating it is to work with children who are ''slow learners" or who "learn differently." However, the definition of learning disability is so variable that we may fail to identify, or we may over-identify, those with a learning …

The Effects Of Field-Based Learning On The Knowledge, Behaviors And Practices Of Teachers And Students, Mary Jo Kosco

Masters Theses

The outdoor environment has the potential to serve as a teeming laboratory with numerous opportunities for students to study various science-related phenomena and processes. However important teachers deem outdoor experiences in science, they also bear doubts about their abilities to teach in these natural surroundings. Providing teachers with the training necessary to teach using field-based activities would help develop and strengthen the teachers' and consequently their students' interest in science, their background knowledge of basic science concepts and processes and possibly affect their behaviors towards the environment. This study was designed to measure the extent science teachers' field-based learning experiences …

Factors Associated With The Utilization Of Mathematics Manipulatives In Grades Kindergarten Through Four, Debra J. Bandy

Masters Theses

Since the publication of "Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics" by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1989, mathematics pedagogy has shifted from the standard memorization of facts and processes to concept development and application. Teachers have been encouraged to utilize manipulatives to help students bridge the gap between concrete and abstract mathematical concepts. This study was conducted to determine if grade level impacted the frequency with which manipulatives were used, to examine teacher perceptions of eleven factors associated with the frequency of utilization of math manipulatives, and to assess the perceived effect of teaching with manipulatives …

An Investigation Of Student Retention Practices And Development Of A Proposed School Retention Policy For The Beecher City, Illinois School District, Douglas C. Heiden

Masters Theses

The purposes of the study were to investigate student retention policies and practices in selected elementary schools in the Beecher City, Illinois, area and to develop a proposed school retention policy for the Beecher City School District where the author was employed as an emementary school principal. The issue of student retention has been debated across the country for decades. The review of literature and research found mixed evidence concerning the effectiveness of student retention. Since retention is an age-old practice, an historical review of literature was included to inform the reader of progression of the practice of retention in …

An Investigation Of Parental Perceptions Of Facilities, Communication Practices, Parental Involvement, And Educational Programs Of St. Mary School, Mount Vernon, Illinois, Aletta Lawrence

Masters Theses

This study investigated the parental perceptions of St. Mary School (a parochial K-6 school located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois) in order to assist the principal and school board in the implementation and formulation of policies which could benefit the students. The study addressed the following questions:

1. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the facilities at St. Mary School?

2. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the ways in which they are informed about St. Mary School?

3. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the extent to which they attend school related activities at St. Mary School? …

A Study Of Parent Perceptions Of The Home/School Connection With Technology In Georgetown-Ridge Farm Cusd #4, Andy Weathers

Masters Theses

The last three years has brought dramatic changes in implementation of technology for the Georgetown-Ridge Farm Unit District #4 (G-RF Unit #4). Since 1995 the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has initiated increased grant funding for schools in the areas of technology deployment, staff development and software purchase and upgrades. ISBE has placed special emphasis on the home/school connection with technology. Districts are required to assess what ISBE refers to as their "current reality" in these areas and take steps to close the gap in the inequities that exist. Districts were required to use gap analysis data to prepare …

Report Card Grading And Adaptations For Students With Disabilities: A Survey Of Practices In East Central Illinois, Melissa L. Jones

Masters Theses

The issue of grading the academic performance of students with disabilities has become a challenge as the restructuring of special education has placed these students in general education settings. A survey was conducted within the Illinois counties of Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie, and Shelby in hopes of determining current policy, desired grading formats and practical grading adaptations for students with disabilities. One hundred responses, which questioned the attitudes and opinions of each group, as well as written policy and guidelines were solicited from each of four defined subgroups (teachers of special education, elementary level classroom teachers, secondary level …

Principals' Perceptions Of Teacher Evaluation Processes And Instruments, William Harold Carpenter

Masters Theses

Each year principals in Illinois schools are required to evaluate teachers. This study was conducted to assess principal perceptions of teacher evaluation processes and instruments used in schools located in the southern Illinois counties of Clinton, Hamilton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington. The study was conducted to determine the principal perceptions related to the following research questions: (a) What are the minimum number of classroom observations principals are required to make each year before developing the final teacher evaluation? (b) What type of teacher evaluation instruments are being used in districts? (c) What is the extent of principals' satisfaction with district …

Internet In The Classroom, Nathan J. Aslinger

Masters Theses

Purpose of the Study

This study was conducted to determine the role of the Internet in Illinois high schools, how it is integrated into the business education curriculum, and the status of technology in these high schools. Most schools are "hooked up" and the teachers are usually trained through internal workshops. Some schools even have a specific "Internet" course. The following questions are the research questions used for this study:

1. What is the general status of the Internet in secondary schools as perceived by business teachers?

2. To what extent is the Internet being included in the secondary business …

Principal Perceptions Of School Breakfast Programs In Small Enrollment Illinois School Districts, Teresa M. Martin

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate school breakfast programs in small enrollment districts in Illinois. The review of literature and research indicated that school breakfast programs may improve student achievement, behavior and attendance, and that providing a breakfast to hungry children may increase their readiness to learn.

The study took place in 1997-98, using a survey instrument designed by the author to collect perceptions about school breakfast programs from Illinois principals. A random sample of 75 principals was selected from all Illinois school districts with student enrollments of less than 1,000 which had breakfast programs. Surveys were returned …

A Study Of Integrated Learning Systems In The Public Schools, Mary N. Parker

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of an Integrated Learning System (ILS). This study focused on how public school districts in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa were using the ILS. Eighty-five surveys were sent to public school contact persons whose names were provided by Computer Curriculum Corporation (CCC) which produces an ILS called SuccessMaker. Other software providers refused to cooperate in supplying names for the study. The study also asked if the ILS were effective in producing student gains.

While this study did not statistically evaluate the effectiveness of the ILS compared to control groups, or …