Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Cross-Cultural Study Of Epistemological Beliefs And Moral Reasoning Between American And Chinese College Students, Zhongtang Ren

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

This study investigated the cultural differences of epistemological beliefs and moral reasoning between American and Chinese college students (N=452) recruited from three universities, Old Dominion University in the eastern United States, Luoyang Normal University in the central China and Central University for Nationalities in northern China. A series of factorial MANOVA was conducted to explore the influence of gender, ethnicity and nationality as the independent variables on epistemological beliefs measured with five EBI (Epistemological Beliefs Inventory) scores and moral reasoning measured with two DIT (Defining Issues Test) scores as dependent variables.

No effects were found for gender and …

Entertaining Politics And The College Student, Alexandra Rubin

Senior Honors Projects

Mass media is crucial in forming and reflecting opinion in society. Newspaper, television, and the internet all play a critical role in the daily lives of Americans; disseminating information that shapes views of life, culture, and politics. It seems like all forms of media communication, either subliminally or blatantly, reflect the political climate of the day. The news media flood American homes with images, audio, and commentary on political happenings. My questions are as follows: How much basic political knowledge does an average college student possess? Where does the average college student receive his or her political knowledge? Does celebrity …

Longitudinal Course Of Eating Disorder Risk Among Undergraduate Females At Brigham Young University, Erin Blue Winters

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the prevalence rates and longitudinal course of eating disorder risk among undergraduate females at BYU, and compared the identified prevalence rates at BYU with identified rates at other colleges and universities. Almost 2,000 undergraduate females, in three cohort groups, filled out the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) once a semester for four to eight semesters. Clinical cut-off scores were used to determine what percentage of participants were at high risk for eating disordered behaviors and symptomology. Overall eating disorder risk prevalence rates at BYU ranged from 9-11%. These rates were significantly lower than identified rates at other …

Integration Of Service-Learning Into Civil And Environmental Engineering Curriculum, T. C. Piechota, Shashi S. Nambisan

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Service-learning is defined as integrating the community service experience of students with their academic study so that learning is enhanced. The level of student participation in community service is at an all time high as students feel the need to confront today's technical and societal problems. However, service-learning is more than community service or volunteerism. Service-learning as defined above, integrates the community service experience with the student’s academic study (note the hyphen in "service-learning" means that both are considered equal). This enhances learning which is a fundamental goal of colleges and universities. Boyer highlights the need for service-learning stating that …

A Case Study Of Unlv Students Enrollment And Financial Services: The Trend To Blend Key Student Services Into A One-Stop Shop, Christina F. Twelves

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Conscientiousness Is Key: Incentives For Attendance Make Little Difference., Maureen A. Conard

SHU Faculty Publications

"This study examined differences in class attendance at different levels of conscientiousness and incentives (3.5% vs. 6% of course points). Results of a 2 × 2 (Level of Incentives × Level of Conscientiousness) ANOVA indicated a significant main effect for conscientiousness. Conscientiousness accounted for 14% of the variance in attendance, compared to 1% for incentives. Attendance appears to be influenced more by conscientiousness than by incentives."

Developing, Marketing And Evaluating Web-Based Library And Information Skills Tutorials At Old Dominion University, Cynthia Wright Swaine

Libraries Faculty & Staff Publications

Confronted with an expanding distance learning program, a growing set of student expectations, and recent changes in general education requirements, the Library Instruction Team at Old Dominion University is addressing the related needs for new approaches to library instruction by creating a series of web-based tutorials.Confronted with an expanding distance learning program, a growing set of student expectations, and recent changes in general education requirements, the Library Instruction Team at Old Dominion University is addressing the related needs for new approaches to library instruction by creating a series of web-based tutorials.

Tellin' It Like It Is: Disempowerment And Marginalization Of First-Generation, Low-Income College Students: A Participatory Research, Charlene P. Lobo

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the origins and outcomes of disempowerment and marginalization in five first-generation, low-income college students who were participants in Student Support Services, a federally funded TRIO program at a large urban commuter state university. Using dialogic introspection and participatory research, the participants reflected on their experiences in the areas of disempowerment, marginalization, educational equity, oppression and the needs and concerns of first-generation low-income students. Generative themes fell into three areas: creating conditions for learning; silencing the voice; and resistance, persistence and hope. Themes that created negative experiences for the students included disparities between academic and personal cultures, lack …

Final Report On The Activities Of The Center For Immigrant And Refugee Community Leadership And Empowerment (Circle) Project: Covering The Period From 09/01/99 To 08/31/00, Sally R Habana-Hafner, Vachel W Miller, Michael Joseph Simsik, Cole D Genge

Center for Immigrant and Refugee Community Leadership and Empowerment (CIRCLE) Project

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Cognitive Development Between Whites And African Americans Based On William Perry's Scheme Of Intellectual And Ethical Development, Joan Johnson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study compared cognitive complexity between student groups based on cultural background and academic class utilizing William Perry's (1970) cognitive theory of intellectual and ethical development. In addition, the study examined the influence of gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on cognitive development. The goal was to ascertain whether Perry's theory, developed from his research on a relatively homogeneous college student population without consideration of the impact of a culturally diverse environment, would be valid for culturally diverse students.

The research design employed to investigate cognitive development used a cross-sectional sample of entering freshmen and graduating seniors attending a predominantly White, …

Computer Crime: Software Piracy Among College Students, Stephanie E. Stockdale

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

There is a limited amount of research covering the topic of computer software piracy. Few studies focus specifically on software piracy, while the vast majority looks at various forms of unauthorized access and computer hacking. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether students possess attitudes that are supportive of computer-software piracy. Here, attitude means the feeling one has about a certain topic. Operationally, attitude is defined as holding a favorable or unfavorable view of computer-software piracy. Eight research hypotheses are proposed. In order to explore the research question and test the hypotheses, a thirty-six-item questionnaire was administered to …

An Analysis Of Student Attitudes Toward Old Dominion University's Teletechnet: A Comparison Of Traditional And Non-Traditional Sites, Michael G. Bisciglia

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate factors that shape a student's attitudes toward Old Dominion University's TELETECHNET system. This research utilizes a sample of 238 students enrolled in the TELETECHNET system. An analysis of student responses, based on location, was conducted, to see if a significant difference in the mean attitudes toward TELETECHNET exist between on-site and distance students. Analysis revealed a difference between studio and non-studio students on a variety of factors. This included the respondent's connection to other students, their attitude toward distance education, their willingness to take another TELETECHNET class and their attitude toward the …

The Evaluation Of A Community Service And Mentorship Program Linking College Students And Newcomer Youth: The Experiences Of The Students For Education, Empowerment, And Development Program, Michael J. Simsik

Center for Immigrant and Refugee Community Leadership and Empowerment (CIRCLE) Project

This paper presents the evaluation process undertaken by a community service-learning and mentorship program. This program (called "The Giving SEED", or Students for Education, Empowerment, and Development) links college students with immigrant, refugee, and minority youth in an effort to help develop a multi-cultural model of mentoring while building community. A total of eighty-four youth in six different community organizations benefited from the mentoring of nearly thirty undergraduate college students during the evaluation period covered in this paper (January to June 1998). The evaluation process undertaken by SEED was built into all aspects of program activities and occurred at various …

A Comparison Of White Male College Students Attending An Urban Black University And An Urban White University: White Racial Identity And Perceived Comfort With Blacks, Cheryl Lorraine Evans

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in White Racial Identity and degree of tolerance for Blacks between two samples of White male undergraduate students attending an urban Black university and those attending an urban White university. The theoretical framework for this study was based in Social Contact Theory as a contributor to racial tolerance and Racial Identity Development Theory as a factor in human growth toward increasing acceptance of diversity. This was a quasi-experimental post-hoc design using intact groups.

The study analyzed the responses of 182 White male undergraduates using three instruments. A Background Questionnaire, designed …

Collective Vision: Activism In Many Voices, Sally R Habana-Hafner

Center for Immigrant and Refugee Community Leadership and Empowerment (CIRCLE) Project

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Aerobic Exercise On State And Trait Body Image And Physical Fitness Among College Women, Sherri L. Hensley

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Cumulative evidence shows body dissatisfaction is a salient problem among women, and is linked to various psychological disorders and disturbances. While numerous perspectives regarding the negative body-image phenomenon exist, one area of scientific inquiry is the relationship between physical exercise and body image. With the current sociocultural emphasis on physical fitness and attractiveness, the effects of exercise on body image warrants serious consideration. The present investigation compared 57 women who participated in a 13-week aerobic exercise program to 29 sedentary control women on the following variables: state and trait body image, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition. The exercising women were …

A Comparison Of Graduation Rates For Community College Transfer Students And Non-Transfer Students At An Urban, Regional University, Rory Jay Deshano

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Education Program On Knowledge, Attitudes And Sexual Behavior Of Selected College Students, Arlene Jaine Jackson Montgomery

Health Services Research Dissertations

The problem studied in this investigation was whether a behaviorally focused Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Program affects the knowledge, sexual attitudes and sexual behavior of college students.

Three hundred and six first-and third-year college students were included in the study from one university located in Southeastern Virginia. The sample was predominately female, African-American and mainly between the ages of 16-22 years of age.

Freshmen students were presently enrolled in the institution's HIV/AIDS education program, which was a part of a required course. The class sessions consisted of a pretest prior to student's completing the reading assignment …

The Impact Of A College Community Service Laboratory On Students' Personal, Social, And Cognitive Outcomes, Dwight Giles Jr., Janet Eyler

Higher Education

This exploratory study attempts to· answer the question: can a required service-learning experience of limited intensity and duration have an impact on the development of college students as participating citizens of their community? Students who provided community service as part of a one credit "community service laboratory" showed a significant increase in their belief that people can make a difference, that they should be involved in community service and particularly in leadership and political influence, and in their commitment to perform volunteer service the following semester. They also became less likely to blame social service clients for their misfortunes and …

Psychosocial Developmental Levels Of Freshman Urban University Students With Learning Disabilities, Nancy Ann Wolthuis Olthoff

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This research study addressed the question, "Is there a difference in psychosocial developmental levels, as defined by Arthur Chickering, between male and female traditional-aged urban university freshmen with and without learning disabilities?" Twenty students with learning disabilities, as diagnosed by independent practitioners who exhibited spelling disabilities on a writing sample placement test, were compared to two comparable groups of twenty students. One comparison group did not exhibit spelling disability. The second group while demonstrating spelling problems, did not have documentation of learning disabilities. The Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory, a measure of Arthur Chickering's theory of psychosocial development, was …

Enhancing Undergraduate Achievement In Educational Psychology With Instructional Objectives, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Rasmussen, Rosemary Nieto, Cheryl Sims

Publications and Research

Two quasi-experiments were conducted to assess the effects of exposure to instructional objectives on the achievement of undergraduates enrolled in an educational psychology course. Students enrolled in morning and afternoon course sections during the fall semester did not receive objects. Comparable students enrolled in morning and afternoon sections of the course during the subsequent spring semester did. Regression analyses that controlled for age and past achievement indicated that among afternoon classes, exposure to objectives improved performance on the midterm and final exams by at least 7 points. No significant effects were found for the morning classes. It was argued that …

Cognitive Styles And Measured Occupational Preferences Of College Freshmen And Sophomores, Leonard M. Fisher

Dissertations

Problem. This research study tested the hypothesis that significant statistical relationships obtain for junior college and college freshmen and sophomore students, between the cognitive style measures field independence/dependence, "preference for structure," Harvey's Cognitive Style Factors--and occupational factors measure by the UNIACT Interest Inventory.

Method. Four paper and pencil tests measuring three cognitive styles were administered to 213 Michiana area and junior college and college freshmen and sophomores. The Group Embedded Figures Test was used to measure field independence/dependence while the two major measures of "preference for structure" cognitive styles were the VRTTAB average, and the FRTTAB average scores of the …

Two Parallel Studies Investigating The Immediate And Longitudinal Attitude Values Of College Women Toward Elective Physical Activity, Rebecca Marie Lang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This parallel investigation was conducted to survey and to determine the immediate and longitudinal attitude values in selected college women following participation in elective physical activity classes. The expressed attitudes were measured by a modified Carlos L. Wear Physical Education Attitude Inventory adapted for use in this present study by the investigator.

Four experimental groups were chosen according to the cluster sampling technique, representing two life-time sport course offerings of badminton and women's fitness. Seventeen women enrolled in the fall fitness class and fourteen women in the fall badminton classes, comprised the longitudinal sample for this study. The spring semester …

The First Year Of College: A Follow-Up Normative Report, David E. Drew, Alan E. Bayer, Alexander W. Astin, Robert F. Boruch, John A. Creager

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The major purpose of this ongoing research program is to determine how students are affected by the colleges they attend (Astin, Panos, and Creager, 1966). Consequently, subsamples of the original groups of participating students have been periodically followed up. These follow-up surveys consist in part of post-tests on selected items administered previously in the Freshman Information Form and in part of items that cover the student's experiences and achievements at his institution, his aspirations and plans for the future, his perceptions and evaluations of the college environment, and his educational outcomes and academic standing.

A Psychological And Educational Study Of The Language Factors Of The American Research Council. Psychological Examinations Administered To Freshmen At The College Of The Pacific In The Years 1925, 1926, And 1928, Chester Livingston Hoar

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to determine, as far as possible, the extant to which the language-factor tests included in present psychological examinations administered to freshmen at the Collage of the Pacific are reliable as factors contributing to an estimate of the capacities of the individuals examined.

This necessitates a study of both the gross and language-factor tests scores

In making the study, the results of examinations given in three years,—1925, 1926, and 1928, —were utilized. The total number of cases included in these years was 560, a sufficient number to warrant the placing of considerable reliance upon the …

Library Card & Regulations For 1893-94 Session, Library (Alumnae)

Other Documents

Library card belonging to Mary Ellis, of Mississippi who attended Hollins Institute for one session: 1893-94. Regulations are listed on the back.