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Gauging The Outcomes of Organizational Diversity Implementations: The Intersection of Attitudes, Awareness and Behavior
No full text236 leaves. Advisor: Charles Greenwood.This dissertation examines the attitudinal and behavioral outcomes from diversity education implementations in both a corporate and an academic institution. At each site, I explored whether attitudinal changes had occurred as a result of the diversity programs conducted there. At both sites, I found that attitudes towards diversity were not changed significantly as a result of diversity education, either within respondents or in their impressions of other members of the organization.
At both sites, respondents indicated that while attitudinal change may not have occurred, an "awareness" of diversity was achieved. To enhance acceptance of diversity and to better generate attitudinal change, respondents indicated that diversity needs to be put in the best interests of constituents. At the corporation, "best interests" relates to diversity being part of the employees' evaluation and job responsibilities. At Nova State University, "best interests" referred more to faculty members having their efforts towards enhancing diversity rewarded financially.
The results from Agribank indicated that many respondents felt that diversity training was "common sense" and that the content was a reiteration of the "golden rule" principle for human behavior. Many respondents also felt that they already understood diversity issues and that cultural difference should not be the focus of concern at Agribank.
At Nova State University, a central limiting factor to the acceptance of diversity education is that it is not currently required of faculty or staff. There are many efforts across the university to address diversity-related issues, but there seems to be a lack of unity and common purpose. A recent adoption of a diversity course requirement for undergraduate students may help to enhance the climate for diversity at this site.
A common conclusion from both sites is that there needs to be greater and more visible leadership support for enhancing diversity. Without this, these programs are not likely to generate any long-term, positive affective or behavioral outcome. With this support, there is a far greater likelihood of generating greater commitment from members of the organization, and ultimately greater outcomes than have thus far been achieved at either institution
Defining, Teaching, and Evaluation Critical Thinking Skills in Adult Education
Get PDFvii, 148 leaves. Advisor: Charles S. Greenwood.One of the goals of adult education is to develop students' abilities to think critically, yet there is a paucity of research to guide adult educators in their pursuit of this goal. This exploratory study was designed to examine adult educators' perceptions of components related to critical thinking, including definitions of critical thinking, instructional methods used for teaching critical thinking, and methods of measuring
students' growth in critical thinking.
A self-report survey method was used to elicit responses from adult educators who currently teach or previously taught adult education courses in institutions within the United States offering graduate degrees in adult education. Seventy-eight of 155 questionnaires were returned. Sixty-eight questionnaires were usable for a response rate
of 47%.
Data were summarized using frequencies, percents, means, and standard deviations. Some tests of statistical significance were carried out using the chi-square statistic. No statistically significant results were found.
Respondents agreed one of the goals of adult education should be to develop students' critical thinking skills. Moreover, they believed they are teaching critical thinking, using an indirect approach. However, they indicated that adult educators do not have a clear idea about what critical thinking is which suggests critical thinking instruction has not been addressed systematically.
Although no single definition of critical thinking emerged, results led to development of a conceptual framework of critical thinking for adult educators. The framework presents critical thinking as a two-dimensional construct consisting of cognitive skills and dispositions. Relative to instructional methods, results indicated adult educators used experiential and participatory methods when teaching critical thinking skills. To evaluate gains in students' critical thinking skills, adult educators reported using a variety of qualitative measures.
Further research is needed to develop or adapt a uniform and comprehensive definition of critical thinking by adult educators. Additionally, it should be determined if critical thinking is perceived differently by adult educators than by educators in other disciplines. Also, instructional methods should be examined to determine which are most effective in teaching critical thinking skills and dispositions in adult education. This would lead to investigation of the validity and reliability of qualitative measures adult educators use to measure gains in critical thinking. Finally, longitudinal studies are
needed to examine if adult learners who show improvement in their ability to think critically maintain these gains over time and whether they are able to transfer these skills to other areas of their lives such as employment and personal/social
Immunological Characterization of Membrane Skeletal Proteins in "Tetrahymena pyriformis" GL
Get PDF[viii], 27 leaves. Advisor: Jerry E. Honts.The cell cortex (or pellicle) of "Tetrahymena" is composed of three closely associated
layers: the cell membrane, the alveolar sacs, and the epiplasm. The epiplasm is the
innermost layer of the cortex and is thought to be analogous to the membrane skeleton
found in eukaryotic cells, since it consists largely of filamentous proteins responsible for
maintaining cell stability and shape. Furthermore, the epiplasrnic layer provides a means
by which the cell can regulate the location and distribution of structures along its surface.
Low salt extraction of Triton-potassium iodide (TKI) cortical residues is an efficient
means by which three membrane skeletal proteins (band A (235 kDa), band C (125 kDa),
and a 23 kDa protein) can be isolated. Previous immunofluorescence studies have localized
bands A and C in the cell cortex and irnrnunoblots have demonstrated that these proteins are
major components of the membrane skeleton in "Tetrahymena".
In this study, polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbits against three membrane
skeletal proteins isolated by low salt extraction of TKI cortical residues: band A and C, and
a 23 kDa protein. Immunoblots were performed to characterize the number and size of
immunoreactive proteins in total cellular protein as opposed to previous studies which only
probed cortical proteins. Furthermore, immunoblots were performed to test the specificity
of each antisera prepared against specific proteins in an attempt to clarify apparently
contradictory data obtained by previous studies using both polyclonal and monoclonal
antibodies.
Polyclonal antibodies against band A did not detect the presence of band A at 235
kDa, but did detect three bands between 100 and 140 kDa. Affinity-purified band C
antibodies were demonstrated to identify a 125 kDa protein from whole-cell lysates, and no
bands above 125 kDa, as previous studies have recognized. Interestingly, the 23 kDa
polyclonal antibody recognized not only a 23 kDa protein from the total cellular protein, but
a high molecular weight protein (above 125 kDa) as well
Distinguishing the Treefrogs "Hyla versicolor" and "Hyla chrysoscelis" in Iowa, and Their Distributions
Get PDF[iv], 36 leaves. Advisor: James L. Christiansen.Historically, the tetraploid and diploid species pair of treefrogs, "Hyla versicolor" and "Hyla chrysoscelis" have been mapped collectively in Iowa because no distinguishing macroscopic morphological characteristics useful in recognizing the two species had been found. The present study reports identification and separation of the species by counts of stained nucleoli and measurement of scanning electron micrographs of toepad projections. The resulting distribution correlates with spot checks of call analysis. Subsequent morphometric data confirm that the two species represent two distinct populations in Iowa. "H. chrysoscelis" is distributed sporadically through the southwestern half of Iowa while "H. versicolor" is limited to the southeastern half of the state. This study suggests a decline of these species in extreme northern Iowa
Learned Helpless to Mastery Orientation Transition Process
Get PDFv, 259 leaves. Advisor: S. Pike HallBackground: Individuals who explain their success and failure experience in the Mastery Oriented attributional pattern of ability and sufficient or insufficient effort, experience pride in their successes, feel they can repeat successful experiences, see a relationship between outcome and effort, and are willing to try achievement tasks again. Individuals who explain their
success and failure experience in the Learned Helpless attributional pattern attribute success to luck and ease of task, and failure to inability, experiencing shame in both their
success and failure experiences. They feel they cannot repeat success experiences or correct failure experiences. They do not see a relationship between outcome and effort; and to avoid negative emotional consequences, they are not willing to try achievement tasks again.
Because it is desirable to correct the debilitating consequence of lack of persistence and avoideance, the researcher looked at the causal factors that bring about a change in an individual from a state of Learned Helplessness to a state of Mastery Orientation by studying individuals who have experienced this change without experiencing intentional retraining strategies.
Methodology: In order to explore and/or discover the full breadth of the LH to MO change phenomena, the researcher chose to explore this change through the recollections of individuals revisiting experiences that occurred as a
consequence of simply going about their daily lives. The change phenomena, whatever they would eventually be found to be, were an enmeshed part of each participant's life story.
Therefore, the researcher chose to use the Naturalistic research methodology that provides for observation in the natural setting from which the data arises to create joint construction of reality.
Findings: Three patterns were found to be present across the participants: Pattern One: Accepting Person. Pattern Two: Critical Consciousness-Raising Event. Pattern Three: Sense of Responsibility.
Conclusions: Based on the findings it becomes evident that it is wise for advisors and professors in college settings to reevaluate their attitudes toward students and to recognize the
power of mutually respectful relationships in which students can feel safe and growth can occur. It would a1so be wise to set up classroom systems in which students can experience acceptance from their peers, learn to work cooperatively in noncompetitive environments, and have a place to practice new skills and ideas. It would also seem important to become involved in student's crisis circumstances and use them to teach responsibility and offer support and caring
A Comparison of Student Perceptions of Quality of Instruction by Full-Time Instructors and Adjunct Instructors at a Community College in Iowa
No full text[v], 70, [6] leaves. Advisor: Charles Greenwood.The purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to examine student perceptions of the quality at a community college to determine if there is a significant difference based on the employment status of the instructor.
Procedure: Permission was obtained from the Dean of the Marshalltown Community college to conduct the study. An instrument was constructed using student input at the same college. This survey instrument was then administered to a sample of students in classes taught by full-time instructors and classes taught by adjunct instructors. These classes were selected randomly. The total of 129 surveys tabulated for this study constituted a sample of 10.6 percent of the population. Five demographic questions and eight evaluation questions were asked. Both chi square results and mean scores were calculated.
Results: At an alpha level of .05 only one evaluation question showed a significant difference, that being item 6: The instructor’s knowledge of the subject seems broad and accurate. Students rated adjunct instructors higher on this item than they did full-time instructors. Chi-square results for each survey item are given as well as mean score comparisons of various demographic categories.
Conclusions: This study indicates that students perceive little difference in the quality of instruction delivered by full-time instructors or by adjunct instructors at Marshalltown Community College
Perceptions of the Reform Agenda from Selected Superintendents in the Keystone Area Education Agency I of the State of Iowa
Get PDFiii, 153 leaves. Advisor: Edward R. Ducharme.The problem. Beginning with the Nation at Risk report, there has been a continuous stream of public recommendations, national and state
goals, business initiatives, and local efforts to reform America's public schools. Although educational change appears simple from the
perspective of the popular press, reform (transformation, restructuring, or improvement) of schools is a complex and time consuming task.
Iowa's 379 school districts are at different stages in the process of reform and have embraced different reform initiatives. Little data presently exist to show where Iowa schools are in the reform process. To properly assess the current state of affairs and to provide data usable at the practitioner level, it was necessary to limit the size of the group studied.
Procedures. I developed and used a survey instrument and interview protocol to determine what Iowa school superintendents perceived as the
status of reform (transformation, restructuring, improvement) efforts (perceived state of implementation) in Northeast Iowa. The survey and
interview protocol included the four broad categories and the 24 subcategories of transformation identified by superintendents in a 1993 survey conducted by the Keystone AEA. I followed a qualitative methodology. I recorded the perceptions (views, opinions) of informed professional educators.
Findinqs. I reviewed, analyzed, and recorded the data derived from the written surveys and the 10 on-site interviews. The resulting narratives provide a summarized compilation of the perceived state of school reform in the 22 responding districts. The most significant individual in the implementation of the various school reforms in Northeast Iowa is the superintendent. The
superintendent has control of the financial and human resources that are available and, with small exceptions, was the person responsible for school reform activities. The Area Education Agency is the one single factor that surfaces in the drive to implement school reform activities in Northeast Iowa.
All superintendents rely on the expertise and assistance from the AEA.
Conclusions. The results of this study support the conclusion that schools in Northeast Iowa are actively involved in transformation activities. The individual superintendent determines the emphasis on reform activities in any given school district
"Construct validity and other issues pertaining to 'The impact of research designs on R_ in linear regression models: An exploratory meta-analysis'"
Get PDFRaymond Hubbard is the Thomas M. Sheehan Distinguished Professor of Marketing in the College of Business and Public Administration at Drake University. He can be contacted at: [email protected]:I initially commented on Heribert Reisinger's (1997) paper, "The impact of research
designs on R2 in linear regression models: An exploratory meta-analysis," in a
double-blind review context. Some of my comments are incorporated in his present
paper, while others are not. Unfortunately, my major original criticism of Reisinger's
work, namely, that it suffers from serious construct validity problems, has not been
addressed in the revised version of the manuscript. This is because it is all but
impossible to do so. Nevertheless, the construct validity problems in Reisinger's
paper impede any meaningful interpretation of his meta-analytic results. This issue is
discussed below
Leonard Good and Stanley Hess, An Emeritus Exhibition
No full textCatalog for the Leonard Good and Stanley Hess, An Emeritus Exhibition, which ran September 28 through November 2, 1997 in the Drake University Anderson Gallery. 20 pages. (Note: Some images have been removed for copyright reasons)
L-NAME- Induced Hypertension in the WKY and BHR Rat
Get PDF[v], 41 leaves. Advisor: Donald B. StrattonThe development of hypertension in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and borderline hypertensive rats (BHR) was studied by inhibiting the synthesis of nitric oxide, an endothelial-derived relaxing factor. The BHR is genetically predisposed to developing hypertension in response to chronic exposure to environmental stress. After normalizing for initial systolic blood pressure (SBP), rats received drinking water that contained N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) at concentrations of 0, 75, and 150 mg/L for three to four weeks. SBP, heart rate (HR), body weight (BW), and water consumption were measured weekly throughout L-NAME administration as well as during the subsequent two to three weeks following L-NAME withdrawal. L-NAME at either concentration produced progressively increasing hypertension in both the WKY and BHR rats by 21 days. The L-NAME-induced increase in SBP was reversed in the WKY when L-NAME was withdrawn but not in the BHR. Oral administration of L-NAME had no consistent effect on HR, BW, or water consumption although the administration of the 150 mg/L concentration was in some instances fatal to BHRs. The irreversibility of the L-NAME-induced hypertension in the BHR illustrates the significance of genetic predisposition to the development of sustained hypertension. This method for induction of sustained hypertension in rats (BHR), which can be compared with normotensive litter mates, provides a useful hypertensive model