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Relationship of the IBM Writing to Read Program to Lower Elementary Academic Achievement
Get PDFiv, 103 leaves. Advisor: Hilda WilliamsThe problem. This study measures kindergarten and
first grade Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) reading, language, and composite scores for student cohorts. One group received kindergarten reading instruction through IBM's Writing to Read program while the other group received kindergarten reading instruction through traditional methods.
Procedure. The ITBS scores were collected from 112
students and grouped into Writing to Read students and traditional instruction students. An analytical covariance was performed on first grade scores for each subtest, with compensations for group difference through kindergarten scores. Non-statistical post hoc comparisons were also made on second the third grade scores through graphic trendlines.
Findings. Significant differences between the groups were found at the kindergarten level. This prompted the need for the analysis of covariance. At the first grade level, significant differences between the groups were found in the Language subtests only. In the post hoc comparisons, all differences, significant or not, disappeared by third grade.
Conclusions. l. Practically significant increases in first grade language, and composite scores were recorded by who had been taught through IBM's Writing to Read program. Statistically significant increases were recorded only for composite scores.
2. By the third grade, scores recorded by students
taught via Writing to Read as kindergartners were not significantly different from similar students taught through traditional methods in the experimental or baseline groups.
3. It is unlikely that the computer-assisted component of the Writing to Read program had even the short-term effects demonstrated in the early grades.
4. Third grade score means the experimental group
were slightly lower than could have been expected by historical averages! but not significantly lower.
Recommendations.
1. The IBM Writing to Read program was an effective method increasing student test scores in the early elementary grades in the short term.
2. Further research is needed on the specific skills taught by Writing to read.
3. Further longitudinal research is needed on the
possibility of student burn-out in third grade and beyond as a result of increased kindergarten reading instruction through Writing to Read
A Survey of Iowa Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioners
No full textvii, 122 leaves. Advisor: Linda BradyThe problem. The purpose of this study was to identify independently practicing nurse practitioners(NPs)in Iowa and to assess their educational preparation, geographical practice areas, clients served, services provided,
physician interactions, sources of reimbursement, and incomes.
Procedure. In November 1989, a nonexperimental,
descriptive survey developed by this researcher was sent to all 319 nurse practitioners residing in Iowa who were licensed by the Iowa Board of Nursing. A quantitative statistical analysis of data was conducted using percentages and frequency distributions.
Findings. Out of 227 respondents, 40 were in private practice. Of these, 73% were male and 27% were female, 88% were married, and 55% were between the ages of 35 and 44. Baccalaureate undergraduate degrees were held by 50% of NPs in private practice; 85% received NP education from
certificate granting programs over 18 months in length. Eighty percent of privately practicing NPs were certified registered nurse anesthetists, and 78% worked in institutions. Nearly 90% of WPs obtained institutional privileges and utilized protocols jointly written with physicians. Acutely ill clients aged 65 and over were seen in rural settings an both in- and outpatient basis.
NPs consulted surgeons and family practitioners and provided services associated with the provision of anesthesia. Client education and counseling were infrequently provided. Major sources of reimbursement were direct client payment and Medicare reimbursement. Seventy
percent of NPs in private practice earned over $50,000 annually.
Conclusions. The ability of nurse practitioners to
broaden the spectrum of professional choice for consumers and improve access to health care is being underutilized in Iowa. Only 19% of all licensed advanced registered nurse practitioners are in private practice.
Recommendations. Studies regarding the cost-effectiveness of NP versus MD care, as well as the climate of readiness for NPs in private practice, are recommended
A study of peer tutor training programs and a peer tutor training program for Drake University
Get PDFv., 169 leaves ; Advisor: Thomas B. SwissFor many years universities and colleges have had writing workshops for creative writers. However, during the late 1960s and early 1970s, college and university administrators and department heads moved to establish
workshops for remedial writers. Two things precipitated this movement: one, writing theorists recognized writing as a process, not just a product; two, the communication skills of first year students had declined dramatically.
The need to improve the writing ability of students caused schools to open writing workshops for all student writers. Because of the heavy demand for the services of the workshops, schools turned to other students to staff the workshops. These students usually had no experience working with other students and, consequently, had to be trained. How the students were trained varied with each school depending on the needsof the particular school and the students.
The project for this dissertation was to design and implement a peer tutor training program for Drake University which would be somewhat different than the program already in place. To accomplish this, literature concerning the use of peer tutors in writing workshops was reviewed and the peer tutor training programs of six schools were studied in depth. These programs are described and critically reviewed. After material had been accumulated, a training program for
new tutors in the Drake Writing Workshop was designed which was a composite of features from programs at other schools, one already in place at Drake, as well as additional components not found in other programs such as extensive information on working with foreign (ESL)students. This program was implemented with three new tutors.
The peer tutor training program that evolved
consisted of nine training sessions. The program was designed to emphasize first what tutors needed to learn about meeting and helping clients of the Workshop with their writing and later what they could learn about working with the writing process to improve their own writing. Each session is described and the reactions of the tutor trainees reported.
As a result of the peer tutor training program and
the changes taking place at Unversity, several
things need to be stressed in the next tutor training program at Drake: one, more emphasis and information needs to be given about working with ESL students; and two, because the University is moving toward intensive computer use, tutors need to be instructed about new methods of working effectively with the writing process when students use computers extensively to write papers. Also, tutors should be the writing forms and requirements disciplines other than humanities so
problem writers can be led to the Writing Workshop.
Another recommendation is that the University institute a University-wide writing requirement in all disciplines either at the junior level or sometime during the senior year which all students must complete successfully before graduation
A Compariosn of the Attitudes of Iowa High School Teachers and Principals Toward Teacher Evaluation and the Purposes of Teacher Evaluation
Get PDFvi, 109 leaves. Advisor: Barry SteimThe Problem: This study had two purposes, (1) to compare the attitudes of Iowa high school teachers and principals toward teacher evaluation and (2) to identify what high school teachers and principals believe the primary purpose of teacher evaluation should be.
Procedures: The population included all high school principals and teachers in Iowa. A sample population of 137 principals and four teachers in each of their buildings was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Each subject was asked to respond to a questionnaire which measured their level of agreement with twelve statements addressing attitudes toward teacher evaluation and the purposes of teacher evaluation. The questionnaire was to used to determine if high school teachers and principals believe the primary purpose of teacher evaluation should be to improve teacher performance. Frequency distribution statistics were used to compare the responses of
teachers and principals to each item. The probability of job category influencing responses to the questionnaire was determined by using the likelihood chi-square test.
Conclusions: Teachers and principals agreed that the primary purpose of teacher evaluation should be to improve teacher performance, that the teacher evaluation process should not be used to determine salary level and/or pay increases, and that teacher evaluation is essential for the professional growth of teachers.
Recommendations: Additional studies should focus on a number of independent variables that could effect teachers' and principals' attitudes toward teacher evaluation
Parental State Anxiety as a Function of The Visitation Schedule of Pediatric Intensive Care Units
Get PDF95 leavesThis study investigated the state anxiety level of the parent whose child had been admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with restricted visiting hours
and the state anxiety level of the parent whose child had been admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care unit with unrestricted visiting hours. The 15 parents in each of the two visitation groups were very similar in terms of age, gender, and marital status.
Parental state anxiety levels were measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). A tool evaluating visiting hours and the STAI were given to the
parent of the child hospitalized in the Pediatric ICU between the 12th and 36th hour of hospitalization. While no significance was found at p<.05 level, implications
for further research are discussed
Shared Superintendency: Expectations and Perceptions of Shared Superintendents and School Board Presidents
Get PDFiv, 83 leaves. Advisor: William PostonThe problem: Are the expectations and perceptions of job performance or job competencies by the
superintendent similar or different than the
perceptions and expectations of the board presidents of the two or more districts being served by the same superintendent?
Procedures: A survey was developed and distributed to 51 superintendents and 102 school board presidents; one hundred seventeen were returned for a rate of 90% for superintendents and 68% for school board presidents. Data were analyzed with The Single Factor ANOVA-Independent Measures treatment. Those scores found to be significant were analyzed with Tukey's Test to determine area of significance.
Findings: Superintendents tended to rank their job
performance at a lower level than did the board
presidents in most areas, i,e., trust level, effective instructional leader, communication and community advocate. The only areas of major discrepancy where the superintendent and board presidents disagreed were in the areas of increased work load and proper compensation for a shared position.
Conclusions: Awareness and agreement between board
presidents and superintendents about the job
requirements and performance of the shared
superintendency needs to show improvement.
Recommendations: Further study could focus on
demographic differences in the shared superintendency or the effect of sharing administration on other participants, i.e., principal, board secretaries, or professional staff
The Use of a Monetary Based Needs Assessment Device in Evaluation of High School Curriculum
No full textiv, 53 leaves. Advisor: Barry Steim.The problem: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a school needs assessment device which uses a monetary standard of measurement to appraise the value of high school curriculum areas.
Procedure. Three study groups composed of 146 students in grades 10, 11, and 121 48 certicated school staff; and 149 household residents of the Eagle Grove Community School District were surveyed. The study objective was to determine the significant differences among the three groups in rating the importance of fourteen high school curriculum areas using a monetary standard of measurement.
Findings. Analysis of the data was obtalned on each of fourteen curriculum areas to determine the
distributional shape of the three study group
population samples. Each of the fourteen curriculum areas indicated problems with outliers and problems with skewness. Since the population samples were large, the means for each of the three study groups within each of the fourteen curriculum areas were approximately normally distributed. Several multivariate and univariate analyses of the data were used to test the hypothesis that the sample means for the three study groups were equal for the fourteen
curriculum areas taken together. The results of the study indicated that seven of the fourteen curriculum areas show significant mean differences among the three study groups.
Conclusions. It was determined that these differences pointed out the diversity of the respondents and the possible methodological and geographical limitations imposed by the particular area in which the study was carried out.
A broader representation of ethnic and racial population groups is suggested in replicating this study. The results of research in other schools would be contingent on these factors
An Analysis of Learning Styles in Podiatric Medical Students, Residents, and Practitioners
Get PDF52 leaves. Advisor: Charles GreenwoodThe Problem. An attempt was made to determine whether there is any difference or change in learning styles as defined by Kolb in six
groups of individuals. These groups were the Oral Examiners of the American Board of Podiatric Surgeons, surgeons who had been in practice
at least ten years, pediatric surgical residents and students in the first three years of the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health
Sciences, College of Podiatric Medicine. Kolb feels that major learning styles are a combination of feeling versus abstract concepts and observation versus experimentation. A numerical score for each category can be determined and utilizing graph placement, a major mode of learning determined.
Procedures. Utilizing grid scattergrams, Chi-Square Tests for the Goodness of Fit, Chi-Square Tests for Independence and Analysis of Mean and Standard Deviation of scores, the data were analyzed.
Findings. It was discovered that all groups learned essentially the same way according to the Kolb Inventory. The exception to this was the Freshman who were tested prior to beginning classes.
Conclusions. A significant finding, however, was that all groups were poor problem solvers, not being able to adequately use all four modes on the Learning Style. They were unable to resolve dialectic tensions between conflicting methods.
Recommendations. In order to better facilitate medical school education, memorizing of facts should be deemphasized and more problem
solving should be used as an educational method. This would foster all tenets of adult learning
Perceptions of the School Counselor's Role in the Program of Special Education Students
Get PDFvii, 382 leaves. Advisor: Samuel Pike HallThe Problem. The school counselor's role in public schools has rarely been clearly defined. Federal legislation requires schools to mainstream special
education students. but the law does not specify what counseling services should be provided. The counselor's role in these programs must be clarified. Counselors should become actively involved in developing their role description.
Procedures. The purpose of this thesis is to identify different perceptions of the counselor's role in serving special education students in middle and senior high schools. Select professional groups provided their perceptions of the counselor's desirable, actual and feasible roles. Analysis of variance tests whether
the desirable, actual, and feasible perceptions of each group are significantly different and if there are significant differences between select group's perceptions.Item analysis is used to identify desirable and feasible tasks.
Findings. Administrators and counselors identify a greater number of tasks as more desirable and feasible than actually occur compared to regular
education and special education teachers. High school staff see more tasks as desirable and feasible than middle school staff. However, comparisons of the two staffs show general agreement on all three variables. Administrators and counselors are in closer agreement on their perceptions of all three variables. The greatest discrepancies in perceptions occur between counselors and regular education teachers.
Conclusions. All four select groups believe it is desirable and feasible to increase counselor involvement with special education students. All groups also agree that counselors should not assume full responsibility for any task. There
are disagreements about where counselors should and could increase services.
Becommendations. Counselors should examine their role in serving special education students to determine what changes are necessary. They may
need to clarify their role where their perceptions differ from other select groups. Counselors also need to consider the views of other professional groups Other groups, such as parents and students should also provide input. A rank order of tasks can be used to establish a priority list for changes
Framing Eve in "Paradise Lost"
No full textiv, 96, 47 leaves.Although John Milton's Paradise Lost presses readers towards fashioning Eve as a temptress,
the text simultaneously invites an interpretation Eve as a composition of active goodness. Readers, however, tend to accept inherited cultural stereotypes and ideological constructs of Eve as a temptress because those stereotype visual and verbal constructs feed what readers have always "known."
Chapter One, "Eve in Art", describes and analyzes selected features of the iconographic milieu from which John Milton composed his Eve. Not surprisingly, the pictorial tradition of Eve as temptress shaped Milton's verbal construction of her.
Chapter Two, "The Art of Eve, "explores how the text problematizes readers traditional perception of Eve as temptress by manipulating epic similes. Readers compare and contrast Eve to other temptresses; the contradictions are exploited, and readers are forced to make choices about Eve. Here, psychoanalysis can help explore how readings of Eve represent male systems of sexuality which position her firmly within patriarchal codes. Indeed, even Eve's choices about reading herself are preempted in the awakening as she becomes
looked upon, no longer a subject but one subjected to a series of male gazes.
Finally, Eve awakens to find something already discovered by the reader--the inescapability of being a creature of culture steeped in the myths of male primacy.
Chapter Three, "Sharing Satan's Gaze," focuses on how the text sets up rhetorical obstacles, chiefly by positioning readers in alignment with Satan's gaze especially at moments when they are looking at Eve.
Here again, psychoanalytic theory demonstrates the way the patriarchal unconscious has structured, even predetermined, ways of seeing women. The theory advances the reader's understanding of the patriarchal order in which women, including Eve are caught. Readers share Satan's gaze, a flawed
and inaccurate picture of Eve that reveals the iconographic tradition as diabolical.
Finally, my thesis suggests a view of Paradise Lost as constructed so that readers are put to the test: they are forced to deal with calculated contradictions, rhetorical confusions, and perspectives which keep expectations in flux--all imbedded for instructive purpose--to teach the reader to choose, and to teach the inevitability of choice