Education Commons^™

The Case Of Pearl S. Buck: Neglect And Abandonment Vs. Recognition And Recovery, Linda K. Adkins

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Pearls. Buck was the third American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, the first American woman to win this Prize, and only the fourth woman in the world to do so. Taking into consideration the Nobel Prize and all the additional honors and awards Buck and her writing received, it is odd that she has been abandoned by American literary critics. Therefore, it is the goal of this thesis to identify reasons why Pearl Buck and her works have been neglected, and to provide significant reasons why she and her work should be recognized and studied. The first part …

Making Sense Of The At-Risk Phenomenon, Karri Elizabeth Beath

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this qualitative study is to help in making sense of the at-risk phenomenon. The implications throughout this study are based on the constructivist paradigm in that we create things such as at-risk and not discover them, therefore, allowing us to change the way things are. The data collected throughout this study developed into four main contradictions. The first contradiction, We Can't Define At-Risk, but Treat It Like a Thing, presents a variety of definitions of at-risk which represent the inability to define such an ambiguous term. The second contradiction, Moving Towards Inclusion During the Creation of Another …

Differential Effects Of Game Structure And Sociomoral Atmosphere On The Social Behaviors Of First Grade Students, Taunjah Patrease Bell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Previous research has suggested that the structure of games influences children's social behaviors. However, no research to date has focused on the effects of both game structure and sociomoral atmosphere on children's social behaviors in the classroom. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to detennine the differential effects of game structure and sociomoral atmosphere on children's social behaviors during game time. Specifically, this study examined the differential effects of cooperative and competitive games on the cooperative, aggressive, disengaged and engaged onlooking behaviors of children in a constructivist and traditional classroom atmosphere. A total of 36 first grade students …

Circle Of Friends And Attitudes Toward Children With Adhd And Other Disabilities, Joan E. Mccrory

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an occurring disorder which · affects about one child in every elementary classroom. Children with ADHD are at risk for having poor peer relations. Research has shown that over SO¾ of children with ADHD have poor peer relations. Studies of various interventions with children who have ADHD and poor peer relationships have yielded mixed results. Psychopharmacological therapy has shown no positive effect on peer interactions. Behavioral interventions; behavior therapy and medication; cognitive-behavioral therapy; and cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication have all found favorable results, although not many combination treatments have been examined for their impact …

The Efficiency And Effectiveness Of Self-Monitoring For Increasing Fourth Graders' Work Completion, Stacy S. Jeffrey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research study investigated the efficiency and effectiveness of self-monitoring as an individual intervention technique. Data were collected for 10 weeks in a public elementary school in a small city in central Iowa. The subjects were 1 fourth-grade regular classroom teacher and 1 of her students and 1 special education teacher and 1 student from a fourth-grade regular classroom in which the special education teacher team-taught. Both teachers had willingly volunteered to participate in the research study and later identified a student in their class who had low rates of work completion. None of the 4 subjects had received formal …

The Reasons For Living Inventory For Adolescents (Rfl-A) : Validation In Three Adolescent Populations, Joe S. Rich

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study is intended to examine further psychometric characteristics of the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A), a self-report measure developed specifically for use with adolescents. Three separate groups were utilized in this study: a psychiatric suicidal group, a psychiatric inpatient non-suicidal group, and a non-clinical control group from a local laboratory school. Specifically, the factor structure, discriminant validity, internal consistency reliability, and convergent validity of the RFLA total and subscales were examined. Overall, results indicated that the five-factor structure that was identified by Osman et al. (1998) was replicated. Further, results showed that the measure demonstrated adequate internal …

Adolescent Depression : Further Examination Of Gender Differences, Elizabeth Marie O'Neill

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to examine pertinent research questions that remain unanswered by past investigations of adolescent depression. Specifically this study investigated potential differences between high and low scoring depressed adolescents, and whether gender is an influential variable for consideration. Subjects were 175 adolescent boys and girls from a laboratory school in Midwestern Iowa. Subjects were divided into four groups based on gender and responses two questions on the BDI-A. Specifically, the four groups were: boys who scored at or above IO on the BDI-A (sub-clinical group--boys), boys who scored below 10 on the BDI-A (control group--boys), girls who scored …

Physical Activity Patterns Among Physical Education Major Students In Selected Institutions Of China And The United States, Wei Bian

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The benefits associated with regular physical activity have been well documented in recent years. Numerous studies have investigated physical activity patterns among children, adolescents, and adults, yet little work to date has examined the patterns of habitual physical activity participation among pre-service physical education (PE) majors. Furthermore, inasmuch as physical activity affords health benefits irrespective of one's nationality or culture, comparisons among the peoples of nations around the world becomes of greater interest.

This study was designed to examine the leisure-time physical activity patterns of physical education major students in selected institutions from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and …

A Study Of Service Programs At Selected Midwest Universities, Tammy Lee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

When students enter a four-year college or university, they begin the journey of higher education. Through direct and indirect means of structured course work, involvement in campus organizations, and other activities, students gain the knowledge and skills crucial to obtaining a career in their chosen field. Although a college or university has primary responsibilities for the education of students, it also has a social obligation to the community in which it is located. One mechanism that has been devised to mutually benefit the students' need to develop as responsible citizens and the communities' need for college or university expertise is …

Perceptions Of Iowa High School Principals On The Relationship Of Leadership, School Size, And Socioeconomic Level To School Culture, Kevin Wayne Fiene

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

American society is changing. Consequently, public schools are being called to change as well. Previous reform efforts have failed to bring about substantive change and improvement. Current reform efforts are calling for the changing of school culture. What factors influence school culture? What role does leadership, school size, and socioeconomic levels play in developing school culture?

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of leadership, school size, and socioeconomic level to school culture utilizing the Competing Values Framework. The Competing Values Framework provided four ideal culture types and eight leadership roles. Culture types included group, developmental, rational …

Student, Parent And Teacher Perceptions Of Emergent Literacy, Bronwyn Mclemore

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to illuminate the different perceptions of students, parents, and teachers in one urban classroom pertaining to learning to read and write. The study explored the similarities, differences, and relationships among these perceptions.

One kindergarten classroom was selected in an urban school that was currently implementing literacy initiatives. Eighteen students, six parents and three teachers were interviewed to provide insight into their views of emergent literacy.

Five themes were identified as reoccurring topics and are discussed in the findings: activities that count as reading and writing, motivation for learning to read, how children acquire literacy skills, …

The Relationship Between Phonemic Awareness And Preschool Children's Literacy Activities, Cheryl M. Geurts

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relationship between preschool children's phonemic awareness and the literacy activities in which they choose to engage. Children (N=l4) in the study were observed twice weekly for 12 weeks in the normal preschool environment. Data collection was divided into two phases. The first phase consisted of watching one child at a time for 15 minutes and recording everything that child did during that time. The next phase c~ data collection consisted of watching the entire class and indicating on checklists what the children were doing during free play, circle time, and …

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: How Effective Is Cbc With Ethnic Minorities, Tina L. Hoffman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The literature over the past decade has provided evidence of the positive relationship between home-school collaboration and student success. Yet such educational partnerships are not as common as they should be, particularly among minority families and their schools. Empirical evidence of effective, culturally sensitive, homeschool partnership models focused on the individual-child level of collaboration is virtually absent in the literature. Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC) is one model of home-school collaboration at the individual child level. CBC represents an expansion of traditional behavioral consultation. In CBC both parents and teachers serve as joint consultees to provide a more holistic view of …

The College Student Worry Questionnaire: Development And Preliminary Psychometric Properties, Gretchen M. Domek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

To date, there has not been a well-developed measure designed specifically to evaluate the content of worry. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a worry questionnaire designed to measure the worry content of college students, the College Student Worry Questionnaire (CSWQ). A total of 315 participants were recruited from several undergraduate psychology courses at a large mid-western university. Participants completed a questionnaire packet which consisted of a written informed consent form, a background questionnaire, the CSWQ, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Beck …

Impact Of Peer Teaching On The Acquisition Of Social Skills By Adolescents With Learning Disabilities, Mary Anne Prater, Loretta A. Serna, Kayleen K. Nakamura

Faculty Publications

The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of peer teaching on social skills acquisition of adolescents with learning disabilities. A special education teacher taught 12 students with learning disabilities three social skills, giving positive feedback, contributing to discussion, and accepting negative feedback. A random sample of five students previously taught by the teacher then instructed five other students with learning disabilities. Results indicated that both groups, the students taught by their teachers and those taught by their peers, improved in all three social skills. Both groups made less improvement in accepting negative feedback. The authors' conclude that …

Virginia Beach Middle School Technology Education Teachers Reinforcing Academic Standards, Stephen L. Baird

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following objectives were established to address this problem: 1. Determine Virginia Beach Middle School Technology Education teachers involvement in assisting students to master Virginia Standards of Learning competencies; 2. Determine the types of assistance that the Virginia Beach Public School system provides to help align the SOL of the academic curriculum with instruction in the curriculum of Technology Education; 3. Determine specific means that teachers have used to integrate the academic curriculum with instruction in the Technology Education curriculum.

Interest Of Department Of Correctional Education Personnel In Attending Old Dominion University Via The Teletechnet Distance Education System, Dennis D. Traverse

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

This study will determine: 1. If Department of Correctional Education full-time academic teachers are interested in taking the courses required to complete the Master of Science in Education degree with a concentration in correctional education programs via the Old Dominion University TELETECHNET Distance Education Program; 2. What content should be included in the concentration courses for correctional education personnel.

A Study To Categorize Adult Education Literature Through Donlevy And Donlevy's Template Of Perspectives, Linda A. Mason

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following objectives were established to address this problem: 1. How effectively can adult education literature be categorized by using the Donlevy and Donlevy Template of Perspectives? 2. What recommendations can be made from these perspectives for the teaching of adult education principles?

Methods Of Teaching Acting, Eric Allen Frenck

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The objective of this paper is to find the critical attribute required to teach acting to beginner-level students, whether it is a specific method of teaching, innovative acting drills used, or the type of classroom environment one must foster. The latter is strongly suspected, as the first two options above are somewhat empirical and possibly, if not readily, available and therefore easily taught to anyone desiring to learn to teach acting.

A Study To Determine How Total Quality Management Was Being Implemented In The Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Timothy L. Axley

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

This study will determine: 1. To what extent Virginia Beach City Public Schools are following a system of Total Quality Management?; 2. What areas of education have improved due to the use of Total Quality Management?

Categories Of Training Problems Being Faced By Hampton Roads Business And Industry Trainers, Delbert W. Gist

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To answer this problem, the following goals were developed: 1. Will workforce literacy hamper updating the current employment culture with new technology? 2. Are trainers quantifying costs to determine return on investment? 3. Will companies benefit from using in-house trainers or out-source this training to vendors? 4. Does management share the same visionary outlook as trainers do, the by implementing new technologies, the overall training process will be enhanced? 5. Can projections be made of assistance to elevate challenges faced by industry and business trainers?

A Comparison Of Aluminum To Ceramic Lap Tools In Optical Lens Surfacing, Derek M. Walls

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if ceramic lap tools produce as high a quality of optical lenses as aluminum lap tools during the surfacing process in eye ware manufacturing, if ceramic lap tools are easier or harder to work with than aluminum lap tools, if ceramic lap tools last as long as aluminum lap tools, and if ceramic tolls are as cost effective as aluminum lap tools.

Effects Of Fertility On Nutrient Content Of Native Warm Season Grasses, Kelly J. Liddington

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The goal of this study was to answer the following question: 1. Does the nutrient content of native warm season grasses vary with differing amounts of nutrients provided by synthetic sources?

A Descriptive Follow-Up Study Of Piedmont Virginia Community College Electronics Technology Graduates From 1995-1999, Mark S. Fitzgerald

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The goals of this study were to answer the following questions: Did the students find employment (or earn a promotion) in an Electronics related career upon graduation? Did the students feel that the Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) Electronics program provided them with an adequate level of workplace preparation? What aspects of the Electronics program could be changed to better prepare future students for the workplace?

The Effect Of Informal Training On Performance Support System Utilization, Floyd Graham

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine if a Performance Support System is as effective as a Performance Support System in conjunction with informal training in increasing the use of the number of features found in Microsoft Outlook '97, an e-mail and knowledge management application.

The Effects Of Applied Technology Instruction On Mathematics And Science Achievement Of Eighth Grade Students, John D. Hammons

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of he Grafton Middle School technology education program's interdisciplinary activities in improving math and science grades of its students.

A Comparison Of Instructor Professional Development Hours And Student Academic Achievement, Thomas L. Langdon

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine if there is a significant positive correlation between Airman Leadership School (ALS) instructors who actively participated in a professional development program and the academic achievement of their trainees.

A Comparative Study Of The Entry-Level Credentialing Examination Scores Of The Respiratory Therapy Distance Education Students Of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Gay Olsen

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The following hypothesis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the distance education program: Students who study respiratory therapy at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College through distance education will score equally to those who study through traditional methods when taking the entry-level credentialing examination.

Comparison Of Teacher's Attitudes Of Disciplinary Instances In Technology Education And Teen Living Classes, Danny D. Rhudy

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

In order to properly compare the disciplinary instances of the eighth grade technology classes to the other elective classes, certain objectives must be met. These include: 1. Determine the disciplinary instances of eighth grade students in technology education; 2. Determine the disciplinary instanced of eighth grade students in other elective classes, in this study, teen living will be used; 3. Determine if a significant difference in disciplinary instances exists between grouping methods.

A Study To Determine Why Middle School Students Enrolled In Technology Education Classes, David Jr. Locklear

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To answer this problem, the following goals were developed; 1. Determine why students take technology classes as an elective; 2. Determine what specific reasons attracted students to technology education.