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A Structural Analysis of Nursing Continuing Education Organizations and Programs
Get PDFxx, 307 leaves. Advisor: Marjorie PrenticePurpose of the study. This study was conducted to
determine the components of organizations whose mission is nursing continuing education.
Method. The study was conducted in two phases. In
Phase I, 1,134 currently registered nurses were randomly selected and asked by questionnaire which was the most valuable nursing continuing education program which they had attended this past year. Further, they were asked to identify the organization which offered that program.
Seventy-two percent (813) nurses responded.
In Phase II, twenty-eight organizations were randomly selected from the seventy-one different organizations identified in Phase I. The twenty-eight organizations fit into eleven different categories. Using James Price's
collected tools, the following organizational variables were assessed, using an interview tool:
Administrative Staff, Autonomy, Centralization,
Communication, Coordination, Dispersion, Effectiveness, Formalization, Mechanization, Motivation, Bases of Power, Routinization,
Satisfaction, Size {Budget, Personnel}, Span of Control.
Findings. Based on the values for all of the variables except Autonomy, Centralization, Formalization, and Mechanization, the researcher failed to reject the hypothesis of no difference for the organizations that were a part of this study. All organizations studied were deemed effective by the respondents in Phase I of this study. A conceptual model "The Anatomy of an Organization, II was created for grouping the variables for further analysis of the selected
organizations. Further, the organizations were grouped by primary purpose into educational and non-educational for analysis. Finally, the organizations were analyzed on the major concepts of the model in groups according to multipurpose,
limited purpose, and single purpose organizations.
In the different kind of analyses done, there were no great differences found in the various types of effective organization. Structure and motivation were the variables that were shown to be the most important variables in the organizations in this study
Sensory Extinction : Its Effects on Target Sterotyped Behaviors in Adjacent Non-Programmed Situations
Get PDF42 leaves. Advisor: Larry A. Alferink.The problem. Recent studies have demonstrated that
sensory extinction procedures can be effective in decreasing behavioral stereotypies. When a sensory extinction procedure is not continually maintained, the potential exists for an alternation between schedules of reinforcement and
extinction. Studies from the animal literature indicate that this alternation can give rise to schedule interactions and result in possible unwanted effects on the target stereotypy. This study will assess possible additional effects of sensory extinction procedures on behavioral
stereotypies in adjacent non-extinction settings.
Procedure. Sensory extinction procedures were developed for two subjects. The procedures were then introduced and withdrawn in strict alternating fashion. The frequency and cumulative time spent responding was assessed during extinction as well as non-extinction periods.
Findings. For both subjects, stereotyped responding in periods when the extinction procedure was introduced decreased below baseline levels. In the non-extinction periods for one subject, responding increased over baseline
levels. During a second phase, response levels for both subjects again decreased beLow baseline levels during extinction periods. Response measures also decreased for both subjects below baseline levels in periods when the extinction procedure was withdrawn.
Conclusion. The sensory extinction procedures used in the study were effective in decreasing stereotyped responding. These procedures also had an effect on the stereotypies in the non-extinction settings, as these responses deviated from baseline.
Recommendations. The study indicates that sensory
extinction procedures can lead to unintended effects on responding in adjacent non-programmed settings. Clinicians using such procedures need to assess what the exact effects, if any, will be. Further research needs to assess whether these findings extend to more clinically relevant situations
Techniques for the Collection and Assay of Sleep Promotion Factor in Exercised and Sleep Deprived Dogs
Get PDFv, 45 leaves. Advisor: Donald B. StrattonThe problem. The Pieron Phenomenon is the production of sleep in fully rested animals after a ventricular infusion of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from sleep deprived animals. According to the humoral theory of sleep, this is caused by the presentation of some sleep promoting substance
(factor S) which depresses the brain. The somnolence produced is accompanied by an increase in slow wave sleep (SWS). Other factors which also increase SWS, such as exercise, may also do so through some mechanism involving the accumulation of factor S. Although this molecule is known to be a polypeptide with a molecular weight under 500,
the structure remains unknown, greatly complicating the exploration of these relationships.
Procedure. Schedules and equipment which permit
controlled administration of exercise and sleep deprivation in dogs, and techniques for the removal and storage of CSF were developed and described. An assay procedure was described which makes use of the Pieron Phenomenon and the diurnal cycle of locomotor activity in rats.
Summary. This paper describes several techniques
which, when appropriately combined, can be incorporated into subsequent experiments measuring the effects of a variety of parameters on the productlon of sleep promotlng substance in the CSF
A Study of the Leptospiral Carrier State of Rats
Get PDF36 leaves. Advisor: Dean A. HogansonThe problem. The Common Norway rat ("Rattus norvegicus") is a known carrier and shedder of "Leptospira" of the serotype "icterohaerrorrhagiae". This investigation was done to determine if the Des Moines wild rat population was infected with "L. icterohaemorrhagiae". The virulence of any isolate was to be tested in laboratory hamsters and rats.
Procedure. Wild Des Moines rats were captured and euthanized, weighed, sexed, and measured for total length. Various tissues were cultured for isolation of infecting leptospires. Leptospiral antibodies were determined from serum samples. Histological examination of rat kidney tissue was done. The LD5O value of the wild isolate was determined in laboratory hamsters. Laboratory rats were challenged with a high and low dose of the wild isolate, and then monitored for a serologic
and histologic response.
Findings. From the 14 infected wild rats, positive leptospiral isolations were made in 100% of the kidney tissues and 57% of the urine.
Eleven of the 14 infected wild rats had antibody titers against "L. icterohaemorrhagiae" ranging from 1:80 to 1:1000. Renal involvement was
observed histologically in infected wild rats. The LD50 titer in hamsters was determined to be 10 5.3/ml. Laboratory rats challenged with a
high concentration of the wild isolate responded with a titer of 1:80.
Conclusion. Eighteen percent of the wild rat population sampled was infected with leptospires. The microscopic agglutination test determined the isolate to be a member of the "icterohaerrorrhagiae" serotype. Immature wild rats (under 200 grams) were not infected with leptospires. The wild isolate was found to be lethal to weanling hamsters.
Recommendations. Larger samples of the Des Moines wild rat population are needed in order to determine whether the rats infected with leptospires are localized or dispersed throughout the city. A larger sample may also show evidence of leptospiral serotypes other than "icterohaerrorrhagiae". The immunity from "L. icterohaemorrhagiae" in young wild and laboratory rats should be studied further to determine the
cause of immunity
A Study Of The Special Education Programs Of Ballard Community School District
Get PDF33 leaves. Advisor: Dr. Charles D. RowleyThe problem. This study traced the development of
the special education programs of Ballard Community School District. It provided a historical perspective of how and why the special needs services of the district have been
developed and expanded.
Procedure. Interviews were conducted with personnel who have worked with the past and present special education programs of the Ballard Community School District. School board minutes were also studied to provide information about the programs.
Conclusions. Increased concern for the education
of the handicapped and the availability of funds for special education programs have resulted in the establishment and growth of the special education programs of the Ballard Community School District. Public Law 94-142 was instrumental in providing funds which enabled Ballard to expand its special education programs. Although Ballard's administrators have utilized available funds to expand and develop special education programs for the Ballard Community School District, there are no programs in operation within the district that provide help for students for more than two class periods each day.
Recommendations. Ballard's administrative staff
needs to evaluate its special education programs on a continual basis. Serious consideration needs to be given to the establishment of special education programs with integration at both the elementary and secondary levels. In-service programs need to be established and maintained
to acquaint Ballard's educational staff with the operation of the special education proqrams of the district
Measuring Change in Sex-Role Self Perceptions
Get PDFv, 80 leaves. Advisor: George S. LairThe Problem. The problem of this study was to
determine the changes in participants' sex-role self perceptions following their participation in the interpersonal and male/female component of the human relations training model in Drake University's Teacher Education Program. The research was designed to investigate the
effectiveness of the program in changing student's self perceptions toward androgyny.
Procedure. Experimental and control samples were
identified and administered the Bem Sex-Role Inventory in a pretest, posttest, and posttest-2 sequence. The experimental group experienced the training model. The control sample did not. Raw scores were converted to t-scores for each subject. A mean difference change score was computed for both samples representing the difference between pretest and posttest-l and between pretest and posttest-2. One-tailed t-tests for independent samples were calculated for a Difference Between Mean Change Scores and were considered significant at the .05 level of probability (p< .05).
Findings. The study found no significant difference as measured by the B.S.R.I. between the mean change in sex-role self perceptions of the group participating in the human relations component and the mean change in sex-role self perceptions of the group not participating. This was also true for males and females when considered separately in both situations.
Conclusions. Possible conclusions to be drawn from
the study are: 1) A two week model may not have
an impact sufficient to offset years of socialization. 2) Changes may occur at developmental levels different from androgyny and thus may not be measurable by the B.S.R.I.; 3) Enough students may have been androgynous to begin with so that the stability of their personalities contributed to the results of "no difference".
Recommendations. Continued experimentation with
methodologies for enhancing androgynous potential is needed. Further research lS needed to determine methods of evaluation appropriate to different developmental levels so that change can be measured more accurately. Continued research is needed specifically on ways to affect change in the sex-role perceptions of late adolescence e.g., college students
An Analysis of Sex-Roles and Their Relationships to Self-Esteem, Birth Order, Race, Socioeconomic Class, and Age
Get PDFv, 72 leaves. Advisor: Lawrence FanningThe problem. The purpose of the study was to
determine the relationships between sex-roles and the variables of self-esteem, birth order, race, socioeconomic class, and age. Recent research results are divided between encouraged adoption of androgynous and masculine sex-roles. Many studies indicate that so called androgynous individuals are higher in self-esteem and more self-actualized
than other individuals. Other recent research
indicates that the masculine sex-role for men and women provides higher self-esteem and fewer psychological problems. The purpose of this study was to determine which sex-role provided the highest self-esteem scores for students in
a technical high school. The study also examined the four sex-roles to determine if sex-roles and independent of birth order, race, socioeconomic class, and age.
Procedure. Subjects were students at Des Moines
Technical High School who volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were given the Bem Sex-Role Inventory and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Subjects were asked to identify their birth order as first or only,
middle or youngest. Subjects also stated their race, age to the nearest year, and occupation of head of household. An analysis of variance was performed for the sex-roles and self-esteem. To determine placement of significant differences t-tests were performed. Chi squares of independence were performed for sex-roles and birth order, sex-roles and race, sex-roles and socioeconomic class, and sex-roles and age.
Findings. Results of the study indicated that
students who adopted the masculine sex-role were significantly higher in self-esteem than androgynous students. Androgynous students were significantly higher in self-esteem than feminine and undifferentiated students. Feminine and
undifferentiated students were not significantly different from each other in terms of self-esteem
Concurrent Schedule Performance with Young Infants
Get PDF35 leaves. Advisor: Larry A. Alferink.The problem: In operant research on infant conditioning, extinction sessions often are conducted in demonstrating schedule control over the response. However, extinction sessions are often accompanied by disruptive behaviors which terminate experimental sessions. Concurrent
reinforcement schedules provide a methodology for demonstrating schedule control over the response without relying on extinction sessions. The purpose of this study is to determine whether infant responding can be acquired, maintained, and systematically controlled by concurrent reinforcement schedule contingencies.
Procedure. During daily sessions, three young infants were exposed to several concurrent variable-interval schedules. A mobile rotation, contingent on a foot kick, was occasionally available on each schedule component. Head
turns served as the changeover response. Relative time allocation was assessed as was matching between the logarithm of time (and response) ratios and log-reinforcement ratios.
Findings. Without relying on extinction sessions,
schedule control was demonstrated for all infants. The proportion of time spent in a given schedule component systematically varied as the programmed availability of contingent mobile movement was varied. By tending to allocate responses and time equally between the two schedule components, irrespective of programmed reinforcement, all infants undermatched and showed a positive bias for the richer schedule component.
Conclusion. Concurrent reinforcement schedules provide a methodology for demonstrating systematic control over infant responding. Although the matching relationship seems to generalize to young infants, the variables which are the source of undermatching and bias have not been identified.
Recommendations. To gain better experimental control over infant responding, the sources of bias and undermatching must be identified. For example, future research could determine whether bias results from using qualitatively different reinforcers, or whether better matching results
from incorporating a changeover delay
Science-Relevant Experiences of Selected Elementary and Secondary School Students
No full text36 leaves. Advisor: Paul JoslinThe Problem. The general problem is to construct a list of science-relevant experiences that contribute to scientific literacy. The specific problem addressed in this study was to identify
(1) those experiences teachers and curriculum writers believe to be important, and (2) of these experiences, which ones students have had.
Procedure. A survey form was designated for this study, evolving in this way: (1) a physics professor developed a list of experiences he considered significant in his development toward scientific literacy, (2) a science education professor took this list and (a) eliminated all
those experience-items which he could not recall personally having had, (b) eliminated all those experiences which he considered not inclusively
related to any of the matter in both of two science texts, (c) refined the language used in the items, (d) tested the face validity of these
items with a group of about 100 fifth and sixth grade students, eliminating those items still found to cause undue problems in comprehension
for some of the students, and (e) again attempted to refine the 150 items retained for use in this study. Each item was classified into one of four science categories: biological, physical, earth, and general. The survey form was devised to be answered "YES" or "NO" by the sample population, which consisted of 353 students (sixth, ninth, and
twelfth graders in public schools from inner-city, outer-city, and suburban residential areas of a Midwestern city). A minimum of twenty students was involved in each grade-area group.
Summary of the Findings. From an item analysis of the responses made to the survey items by the sixth, ninth, and twelfth grade students involved in this study from selected inner-city, outer-city, and suburban area schools, it was
found that (according to the mean totals for each group) the suburban students recalled the most experiences, with outer-city students recalling less experiences and the inner-city students recalling the least; that the twelfth graders recalled the most experiences, with the ninth
graders recalling less and the sixth graders recalling the least--exceptions were found to these in comparing the grade-area groups
Exemption from College Freshman Composition: The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) General Examination in English Composition and the American College Testing Program (ACT) English Usage Test
Get PDFvi, 156 leaves. Advisor: David FosterProblem. This study investigated exemption from freshman composition. Its two primary purposes were, first, to examine the validity and cutting scores of the oriqinal CLEP General Examination in English Composition (GE:E), a test used nationwide to grant exemption; and, second, to measure the impact freshman composition or exemption from
it has on GPA. A comprehensive review of the literature on the GE:E revealed that some researchers had confidenoe in the validity of the GE:E and cutting scores based on its norms whereas
others expressed doubt and suspicion. The literature on the ACT Enqlish usage test (ACT:E) was reviewed to provide a basis for comparing the efficacy of the GE:E. The results of correlation studies on the test scores and GPA's for the two were typical for such tests and showed them to be
similar in validity. The limits and deficiencies of correlation studies and their role in test choice and use are discussed.
Procedure. To provide additional, unique information on the GE:E, two small (N=22) but homogeneous samples were drawn from the same population, fall quarter 1975 Mankato State University (MSU) freshmen. The samples were
not representative of the MSU or ACT and CLEP populations.
Sample A students' CLEP-GE:E soores had exempted them from English 101 Composition I. Sample B students took the course. The two samples were matched in gender, major, and composition ability as measured by the ACT:E.
The two criteria used to determine the validity of the GE:E and the appropriateness of its cutting scores were GPA and the ACT:E. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to test the null hypotheses that stated there
were no re1ationships (p<.05) between ACT:E scores and GPA's and GE:E scores and GPA's for Sample A. The same procedure was used to test the null hypotheses for the relationships between ACT:E scores and GPA'S for Sample B. Analysis of
covariance was used to test the null hypotheses that stated there were no differences between the mean GPA's of the two samples.
In addition, Sample A students were mailed a questionnaire that asked for their opinions on exemption and the GE:E. Sample B's questionnaire asked them their opinion of freshman composition.
Findings. The correlations of test scores with GPA's revealed extremely low correlations of GE:E scores with GPA and low to moderate correlations of ACT:E scores with GPA.
Because the correlations for the GPA for the ACT:E were greater than those for the original GE:E, it had greater predictive and content validity than the GE:E for these samples. Two of the mean GPA's for the samples were not statistically different but two others were statistically higher for
Sample A. For Sample A the GE:E had predictive validity and the cutting scores were appropriate. Composition course work had no measurable impaot on GPA for Sample B.
In their questionnaire responses Sample A expressed satisfaction in exemption and doubt in the GE:E. In their questionnaire responses Sample B was supportive of freshman composition with qualifications.
Conclusions. If the same serious oharqes that were
made against the original GE:E in the review of the literature can be made against the revised edition, it could be rejected for lacking content and predictive validity and for not being normed properly. Although both Sample A and Sample B were generally supportive of freshman composition, the content of the course and the quality of the instruction need to be scrutinized.
Reoommendation. This researoher recommends that the MSU English department conduct a thorough validation study of the ACT:E. If it has validity, a multiple-regression equation based on high sohool GPA and ACT:E scores could be developed to predict MSU composition grades. This equation
and a faculty constructed and graded essay examination could be used to grant or waive credit in Composition I and II. If the ACT:E is invalid, a thorough study of another standardized test of composition ability might be conducted