Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Characteristics And Human Skills Of Women Who Manage Women: A Community College Case Study, Susan Young Duley

Dissertations

A case study has been used to examine women administrators managing subordinate women managers in an educational organization. This study focused on four women administrators in a community college, including the president, vice-president, two deans, and subordinate women managers who report to the four women administrators.

Participant observations, interviews, and document analysis were supplemented by use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to investigate the research question: How do individual characteristics relate to management relationships of four women administrators working with subordinate women managers? Interviews, informal observations, and document analysis were also used to investigate the second research question: How …

A Content Comparison Of Nontechnical Curricula For Engineers, Bryan Lynn Lundgren

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to compare and critique the nontechnical curricula content of three Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree program model curricula. Curricula content areas that are similar were critiqued by employers of engineers. Model curricula importance and first year BSE nontechnical skill performance were rated by engineering supervisors. The main postulate is that differences among actual, model, and employer-desired nontechnical curricula are factors that may influence curricula change in engineering education. A secondary purpose was to investigate whether the proportion of nontechnical courses to total required courses in BSE college degree programs changed between 1975 …

Determinants Of Student-Faculty Informal Contact, Alan W. Barr

Dissertations

There was an examination in this study of the relationship of classroom experiences (cues) and professorial initiative to the frequency of informal student-faculty interaction in the freshman year. The research was conducted at an independent, four-year urban college in the state of Michigan with a predominantly commuter population. A survey instrument was administered to the entire freshman class in the Spring semester of 1988. Information was derived from the survey on the nature and frequency of informal faculty-student contact.

Out of the 137 freshman receiving surveys, 101 returned them. The response rate was 74%. Data from one survey returned were …

An Assessment Of The Relationship Between Decision-Makers' Opinions About Comprehensive Sex Education And Factors That Influence Those Opinions, M. Terri Voit-Devine

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate decision-makers' opinions about what was to be contained in comprehensive sex education programs, the degree to which decision makers believed course information was likely to be part of their own curriculum, and how much support they believed the community would give to various parts of the curriculum.

The instrument used in the study was created by combining parts of surveys by Wayne (1981) and Marini and Jones (1983). The study compared the opinions of decision makers about guidelines to be used when implementing sex education, reasons for offering sex education, reasons for …

Intuition In Decision Making By Human Service Administrators, Judith Huber Halseth

Dissertations

The phenomenon of intuition includes insights and hunches, as well as the ability to pick up clues and to see patterns. The role of intuition in interpersonal relationships, in problem solving and decision making, and in creativity makes it an important cognitive faculty. As a complement to more systematic and deductive decision making, intuition provides creative insights, especially when people consciously acknowledge intuition.

This study focused on the experience of intuition as reported by 25 administrators in human service organizations. In face-to-face interviews, the 10 women and 15 men who were known to use intuition were asked open-ended questions about …

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 Of Hemispheric Performance And Reading Achievement For Black And Caucasian Fourth- And Fifth- Grade Students, Helen Dorothy Byoune

Dissertations

Problem. The relationship between race and hemispheric performance and the resultant effects of this relationship on learning pose a problem for educators. This study sought to determine whether Black students have a style of cerebral processing different from Caucasian students and whether this cognitive style leads to under achievement in certain subject areas.

Method. The Cognitive Laterality Battery (CLB) was used to measure hemisphericity for 111 fourth- and fifth-grade students categorized into four groups: Blacks, Caucasians, males and females. Ninety-seven of these students comprised the population for this study. The results from the CLB were then used to determine whether …

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 …

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 …

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 Administrator Implemented Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Grouping On Reading Achievement Of Selected Sixth-Grade Students, Jerry L. Thacker

Dissertations

Problem. A Nation at Risk reported that the average achievement score of high-school students on most standardized tests is lower now than it was a quarter of a century ago, and the majority of the brightest students fail to achieve according to their ability. A salient problem in educating pupils is that of attaining reading comprehension achievement scores comparable to their intellectual potential. This study examines the effects of administrator implemented homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping on the reading achievement of selected sixth-grade students.

Method. This was a quasi-experimental study using parametric techniques. The tests for hypotheses were analysis of …

Comparison Of International And American Doctoral Graduates' Expectations, Satisfaction, And Appropriateness Of Their Programs In Education At Andrews University, Libin Kutup Rampasan

Dissertations

Problem

The proportion of international students in the doctoral programs, School of Education at Andrews University, raises concerns over (a) the ability of the programs to meet the varied expectations and needs of the international and American students and (b) the relevance of the students' academic preparations to their careers. Possible differences between the international and American doctoral graduates' appraisals of their programs were investigated.

Method

This ex-post facto study obtained data from two sources: All's records and the graduates' responses to survey questionnaires sent to 143 of the 151 doctoral graduates with known addresses. A 72.7% return rate was …

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 …

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 …

Selected Educational Indicators For Monitoring The Primary-School System, Jamaica, Edith G. Marshalleck

Dissertations

Problem. Since the 1960s there has been increasing interest in the development of social indicators, educational indicators being an important subset of these. Studies in the U.S. and Europe have sought to (1) establish a conceptual framework for educational indicators, and (2) identify indicators useful for economic planning and monitoring the state of education. The need for these indicators in developing countries has also been identified. The researcher sought by (1) a correlational/predictive study and (2) an exploratory opinionnaire to validate a list of indicators for monitoring primary education in Jamaica and guiding financial choices.

Method. Utilizing scores from …

An Investigation Of Parents' Perceptions Of The Junior-Academy Principal's Role In The Lake Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, John Carey

Dissertations

Problem. If he/she is to satisfy or accommodate the expectations of the various groups that interact with him/her, the principal needs to be aware of how they perceive his/her role; but no studies were found on parents' perceptions of the junior-academy principal's role. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine parents' perceptions of the role of the principal in Seventh-day Adventist junior academies in the Great Lake states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Method. A descriptive survey design was utilized for this study. A closed-type questionnaire developed by the researcher was submitted to a panel of eleven …

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 …