Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Applied Thermoplastic Screw Plastication Theory: Industry Acceptance And Implications For Plastics Processing Education, Paul V. Engelmann

Dissertations

Rapid expansion of the thermoplastics processing industry has increased the need for plastics education and training. Screw plastication is the major method of melting plastics in order to mold or extrude them into useful products. Thus, information about the role of plastication is needed to provide guidance for plastics education and training.

This study sought confirmation of suspected differences existing in the amount of knowledge personnel have about thermoplastic screw plastication, dependent upon: (a) the type of plastics process used, and (b) their job classifications. Furthermore, the study collected data in three additional areas: (1) the extent to which persons …

Effectiveness Of Employee Participation Groups In A Manufacturing Company, John F. Blamy

Dissertations

This case study investigated the short term effectiveness of Quality of Work Life participation groups in a Midwest manufacturing division of a major worldwide automotive corporation. Six traditional procedural measures were used to evaluate performance. These measures of performance were: employee attendance, written grievances, scrap produced, quality audits, customer complaints, and productivity.

Six hypotheses were formulated for this study: (1) Employees in departments with employee participation groups will improve their attendance more than employees in departments that do not have employee participation groups. (2) Employees in departments with employee participation groups will decrease the number of formal grievances more than …

The Effects Of Using Print Media In Teaching Critical Thinking Skills To Adult Students, Gloria Jean Mccormick

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of an educational program in which print media were employed to teach critical thinking skills to adult education students. The major problem of this research was whether or not adult students, who lack a high school diploma, show greater improvement in critical thinking if they participate in a critical thinking skills program using print media, than if they do not. Adult education students in three suburban school districts of Macomb County, Michigan were the subjects of this study.

The methodology used in this study was a non-randomized control group, prettest-posttest …

Administrator And Consultant Perceptions Of Consultant Services In Michigan Schools, Julia A. Berg

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine administrator and consultant perceptions regarding consultant services in Michigan schools as related to: (a) services provided, (b) roles, (c) sources of funding, (d) sources for identifying services, (e) characteristics and components that may influence selection, and (f) methods used for evaluation. A review of literature was conducted related to the six survey questions of the study.

Responses to surveys were analyzed from 116 (85% response rate) randomly selected Michigan school superintendents and other administrators and 58 (58% response rate) consultants identified as providing service in Michigan school districts during the 1986-87 school …

The Effects Of Caretaking Settings On School Readiness Of 4-Year-Olds, Joan C. Sergent

Dissertations

The effects of daytime caretaking settings and the nature and number of activities in those settings on school readiness and receptive language levels of 4-year-old children were investigated. Daytime caretaking settings, defined as the setting experienced by the 4-year-old the year prior to entering kindergarten, were determined through interviews administered to the parent/guardian of each of the 185 4-year-old participants. School readiness and receptive language levels of the 4-year-old participants were determined by individual administration of the Gesell School Readiness Screening Test (GSRST) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R) respectively. The settings were categorized as group educational, such as preschool …

An Investigation Of The Traditional And Non-Traditional College Students' Perceived Benefits Regarding Participation In The Cooperative Education Program, Beatrice C. Ullrich

Dissertations

Cooperative education has become an important component of education. The basis for cooperative education is that learning occurs outside the classroom as well as in the classroom. The shift in employment patterns from an industrial society to a knowledge and information based society means that many of the existing types of jobs will disappear. The value of cooperative education exists in its ability to provide a transition from school to work and its flexibility to respond to industries' needs and individuals' training needs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences of the traditional cooperative education student and …

Training-Program Evaluation: An Investigation Of Perceptions And Practices In Nonmanufacturing Business Organizations, Sarah P. Gutek

Dissertations

Despite the proliferation of evaluation literature and business and industry's growing investment in training activities, the evaluation component of training programs remains underdeveloped. Without evaluating the merit and worth of training, there is little evidence that organizations are getting a return on investment from training programs they sponsor.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the discrepancy between the emphasis on training-program evaluation in professional literature and actual practice in the field. The writer examined the perceptions of two stakeholders in the training process: upper-level managers and training directors.

Three hypotheses concerned the relationship between the frequency with which …

The Effects Of Aerobic Exercise On Anxiety In Pregnant Women, Janet L. Fourman

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if aerobic exercise affects trait anxiety in pregnant women and if selected demographic variables relate to trait anxiety. These variables were age, occupation, family income, general physical and mental health, education, lifestyle, and previous exercise history. The independent variable was aerobic exercise. The dependent variable was anxiety which was measured by the trait portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1983).

This research was quasi-experimental and used the Solomon Four-Group Design. The experimental group consisted of women who participated in a Pregnancy Fitness Aerobic exercise program for the duration of their pregnancies. …

Educational Outcomes Of Children With Two Working Parents, Michael B. Dib

Dissertations

In this study five measures of ability or achievement (I.Q., reading comprehension, vocabulary, math concepts, and math computation) for each of four grade levels (third, fourth, fifth, and sixth) were analyzed to determine whether there were significant differences for students from traditional working parent families and students from two-working-parent families. An ex post facto design was used.

Subjects were 335 third, fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from a single public school district in the state of Michigan. These students were identified by teachers or principals as being from either a traditional or a two-working-parent family. All ability and achievement …

A Survey Of Oral Communication Instructional Practices In The Elementary Public Schools Of Michigan, James N. Walker

Dissertations

Instruction in oral communication is critical to education. Oral communication skills are needed in the development of skills in written language, math, problem solving, and reading. Oral communication skills are important in achieving academic, vocational, and personal success. On November 1, 1978, speech education was recognized as a basic skill by United States law.

The purpose of this study was to determine the oral communication instructional practices in Michigan public elementary schools grades K-5. Eight research questions were identified:

(1) Is instruction provided? (2) What is the "basis" for instruction? (3) What materials are used? (4) What is the method …

The Relationship Between Leadership Behavior And The Awareness Of Organizational Culture In American And Japanese Corporations, Ikuko Torimoto

Dissertations

Literature has revealed that the leadership behavior of executives and upper level managers had a significant effect on organizational culture which offered members of the organization meaningful goals and purposes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the awareness of organizational culture and leadership behavior of executives and upper level managers in American and Japanese multinational corporations.

The investigation was conducted using two instruments, Cultural Awareness Checklist and Leader Behavior Descriptive Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 256 employees: 117 executives and upper level managers and 139 middle and lower level managers and other employees not holding …

A Proposed Procedure For A Secondary School Teacher To Gain Entry Level Knowledge And Skills To Become A High School Principal, Wayne E. Mason

Masters Theses

The proposed procedure for a secondary teacher to gain entry level knowledge and skills required to assume a high school principalship was to examine the scope of the duties of a high school principal and to acquire knowledge, skills and administrative experience by assisting a high school principal as he performs his daily responsibilities.

The experience focused on procedures used to close and reopen a high school, practices used in handling student discipline, office duties needed to meet student needs, practices used to monitor facility maintenance, the practices used to maintain and improve community relations.

The experience brought to light …

The Certification Of Training And Development Professionals: Employers' Perception Of Problem Prevalence And Certification's Efficacy, Susan Lynn Atchison-Day

Dissertations

The certification of training and development (HRD) professionals is under consideration by professional training associations. Certification programs can be advantageous; however, they are also costly and present potentially undesirable side effects. Therefore, verifying the worth of a certification program is a logical prerequisite to design and implementation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the problems for which intervention, through a certification program, might be needed and the ability of certification to meet the need.

This study gathered data to determine whether companies: (a) had experienced common problems for which certification might be a solution; (b) viewed certification as …

A Study Of A Prekindergarten Screening Test: The Project Intercept Inventory, Francis J. Rutowski

Dissertations

The emphasis on the importance of early childhood education has brought attention to techniques used in determining the readiness of young children to successfully undertake kindergarten programs.

The Project Intercept Inventory is a criterion-referenced prekindergarten screening test that has been used in the Grand Rapids, Michigan public schools for 12 years. The test consists of 21 items distributed among seven developmental areas. The test was locally developed and no previous analyses had been done to determine the reliability and validity of the test.

The information gained from the use of this test has been used in making educational programming recommendations …

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Occupation, Learning Style, And Productivity Preference, Charlotte Wenham

Dissertations

Businesses spend millions of dollars each year on selection and placement of personnel, on training, and on organizational development activities. Each one involves the learning processes of the individual; the effectiveness of these activities is dependent upon the receptiveness of the individual learner or worker to the specific activity. The purpose of this study was to verify if certain occupational groups demonstrated particular learning styles and productivity preferences and to determine if there were systematic differences among the occupational groups and the magnitude of those differences. Members of nine different occupational groups working in a branch facility of a Fortune …

A Report Of An Internship In The Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools, Galesburg, Michigan, Robert C. Cretsinger

Masters Theses

This report is a summary of a 9-month internship in the Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools, Galesburg, Michigan. The experience began in May of 1985 and concluded in January of 1986.

The objective of the internship was to introduce the intern to the roles and responsibilities of the school superintendent. The length of the internship was designed to provide a more extensive picture of the position of superintendent.

This report contains a log of activities and experiences. Examples of technical material produced during the internship are also provided. An evaluation is made regarding the attainment of objectives.

Effects Of Training On Measures Of Productivity: A Meta-Analysis Of The Findings Of Forty-Eight Experiments, Alice Susan Leddick

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of training on three employee productivity measures: output, withdrawal, and disruption.

A meta-analysis of forty-eight field experiments published in the United States between 1971 and 1981, inclusive, was conducted to explore differences in training effectiveness associated with eight substantive training variables (five design variables and three contextual variables) and two study design variables.

Across all studies, training programs contributed to overall improvement of experimental groups over control groups of 0.67 standard deviation. Training interventions were most successful applied to disruption; however, a shortage of data cast doubt on the reliability …

Effects Of Feedback And Incentives On The Use Of Academic Skills, Jose E. Candia

Masters Theses

This research investigates the notion that the combination of feedback and incentives are essential components for the maintenance of effective academic skills with undergraduate students on academic probation. This notion is in contradiction to the assumption underlying remedial activities in most universities, where it is assumed that once the students have acquired the skills through workshops or texts they will continue to use them.

The use of the academic skills of lecture note-taking, comprehensive reading, and critical reading was studied with three undergraduate students. That use was measured prior to the intervention, during workshops of training, when feedback alone was …

Summary And Analysis Of. Scores On The Michigan Educational Assessment Tests For The Portage Public Schools (1980-1984), Jim Migliaccio

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to identify the specific areas of weakness and strength in the mathematics and reading programs of the Portage Public Schools in grades 4, 7, and 10, by isolating each of the skill areas and the specific objectives within each of those skill areas by comparing the scores of students in the Portage Public Schools with the scores of all other students in the State of Michigan for five (5) years (1980-1984). After identifying areas of strength and weakness, the intent was to recommend possible remedies for those areas determined to be in need of …

Field Testing Of An Instrument For Measuring Educator Knowledge Of Laws Of The State Of Michigan, Barbara A. Souve

Dissertations

In this study, educator literacy about selected laws of the state of Michigan pertaining to education is examined. Literature related to laws and litigation have often included assertions that educators are not familiar with laws and court decisions related to their workplace.

The purpose of this study was to develop and field test an instrument for measurement of educator knowledge of laws of the state of Michigan related to education and judged important as laws about which educators should be knowledgeable. A test was developed from three sources: the Michigan School Code of 1976, Michigan Laws Relating to Education, and …

The Relationship Of Selection Criteria To Success In A Graduate Psychology Program, Cheri R. Stein

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive validity of the Graduate Record Examination Aptitude Test (GRE) for the Department of Psychology at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo. Subjects were 138 psychology doctoral students.

Predictor variables included in the research were GRE-Verbal (GRE-V), GRE-Quantitative (GRE-Q), GRE-Total (GRE-T), Miller's Analogy Test (MAT), and undergraduate grade point average (UGPA). Criterion measures were trichotomous faculty ratings and points earned in three psychology courses.

GRE-V, GRE-Q, GRE-T, and MAT were significantly correlated with faculty ratings (p< .001), and the GRE scores were also significantly related to points earned in classes. Results indicated that MAT scores added no predictive value over and above GRE scores. GRE-T correlations were consistently equal or greater in magnitude than GRE-V and GRE-Q correlation coefficients. It was suggested that GRE-T scores alone be used in selection, with a cut-off point of 1100.

Mediation: Fact Or Fiction; Force Or Finesse? A Synopsis Of Case Studies, Charles N. Carpenter

Masters Theses

The primary objective of this study was to observe a state mediator in his role during public sector contract negotiations and relate these observations to the tenets of conflict management and power sources.

Conclusions are drawn relative to the impact of the mediation process on collective bargaining.

Holland Area Employer-Sponsored Community Coordinated Child Care: A Case Study, Bonnie Church Piller

Dissertations

This is a report of a case study, in the anthropological tradition of an employer-sponsored community coordinated child care program. The program is located in a midwest community of 20,000. Program start up and functioning is described. Also reported are the responses and rationales of participating companies and the impact of the service on child care in the community. The employer-sponsored child care information and referral consortium, a cost effective employee benefit for corporations, gave the Community Coordinated Child Care agency financial stability. The program provided incentive and staff to train family day care providers and an early childhood education …

A Study Of The Relationship Between High School Graduation Requirements And Student A.C.T. Assessment Scores In Public High Schools In The State Of Michigan, William M. Pritchard

Dissertations

The literature has pointed toward changes in high school curriculum as a contributor to the decline of standardized test scores during the 1960's and 1970's. During the past few years, many schools have increased graduation requirements in various subject areas in an effort to increase learning on the part of students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the number of years of required study in various subject areas on student achievement.

The population that was studied included all public high schools in the State of Michigan. Two hundred thirty-eight schools were sampled from the population, …

The Relationship Between Nonsupervisory Employees' Self-Assessment Of Their Supervisory Skills And The Amount Of Satisfaction They Believe They Would Receive From Being A Supervisor, Arthur W. Hoffman

Dissertations

This descriptive study investigated the relationship between perceived supervisory effectiveness (competence) and perceived supervisory satisfaction for nonsupervisory professional-technical employees who may aspire to supervisory positions. The study participants are employees of a large industrial company engaged in the engineering and manufacturing of diversified products for the automotive industry. Specifically, the study attempted to (a) collect employee selfassessment data regarding the employee's perceived supervisory job effectiveness and perceived job satisfaction, (b) determine whether a relationship existed between perceived supervisory effectiveness and satisfaction, and (c) determine if the employee's age and educational level were influencing factors.

In order to investigate the relationship …

An Experiential Project Examining The Dual Roles Of Curriculum Director And Elementary Principal, Michael M. Perry

Masters Theses

The objective of this experiential project was to examine the dual roles of curriculum director and elementary principal as they are carried out by the same person in the Comstock Public Schools.

Major areas examined were: goal development and attainment, textbook adoption, creation of innovative programs, and decision-making procedures.

The major of operation was to observe, question, and interact. The intern participated in daily administrative activities suggested by the principal/ curriculum director and the intern himself. It was discovered that educational administration is a complex process that requires refined organizational skills and a mastery of the ability to establish priorities. …

An Analysis Of Available Selection Factors For Judging The Educational Merit Of Short Duration, Out-Of-House, Management Training Programs For American Corporations, Douglas R. Loomer

Dissertations

The purpose of this research project was twofold. First, to determine which, if any, information items, normally known about short duration out-of-house management training programs (seminars, workshops, etc.) prior to attendance, are indicative of educational merit. Second, to utilize this knowledge of educational merit indicators to test for a difference between the educational merit of out-of-house management training programs provided by (a) academic and (b) nonacademic instructional sources.

A total of 20 program characteristics were identified as indicators of educational merit by a review of literature and/or survey of corporate training officers. Six of these 20 indicators produced a difference …

A Study Of Michigan Local School District Community Information/Relations Systems, Stanley Joseph Olson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review the relationship between the operation of a full-time community information/relations program and citizen financial support in Michigan local school districts. The study also identified and investigated model components of successful full-time community information/relations programs.

Financial support records of 11 local school districts identified as operating full-time community information/relations programs (community information/relations districts) were compared to those records established by a comparable sample group of local school districts which did not operate a program (traditional districts) during a five year period, 1977-1982. This was done to determine whether districts operating community information/relations programs …

Effects Of Community College Administrative Budgetary Decisions Upon Continuing Education Students’ Perceptions, Drew William Allbritten

Dissertations

Purpose. This descriptive study examined the effect of administrative budgetary decisions for selected institutional services and personnel upon certain perceptions of continuing education students attending Grand Rapids Junior College.

Procedure. The researcher designed an assessment process and instrument to measure students' perceptions of accessibility toward selected institutional services and personnel. The assessment was conducted in the spring of 1981. The instrument was distributed to 4,459 students, 1,804 (40.5%) assessment instruments were returned, and 1,791 were determined to be usable. Statistical treatment of the data included the use of three nonparametric tests: chi-square, contingency coefficient, and cumulative frequency tests. An earlier …

A Study To Determine The Relationship Between The Amount Of Innovation Present In An Organization And The Governance Structure Of The Organization, Patricia M. Bauhs

Dissertations

As higher education administrators examine the applicability of management principles to education, the management of innovation comes into focus. This study was concentrated on the relationship between concern for innovation and other variables, namely: "Institutional Esprit," "Meeting Local Needs," "Self-Study and Planning," "Democratic Governance," and organization size. Relationships examined were based on perceptions of two groups--faculty and administrators--compared over a 12-year time period divided into two discrete, 6-year periods.

Ex post facto data from six systems (public universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, state four-year colleges, community colleges, and private junior colleges) were purchased from the Educational Testing Service. Data …