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1990-1991 Dissertation Abstracts: Part 1
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ORDER NO: ABA92-37368
THE EFFICACY OF ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING TO A TRADITIONAL HEALTH INSTRUCTIONAL COURSE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS Author: MINK, EDWARD MICHAEL Degree: ED.D. Year: 1991 Corporate Source/Institution: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS (0011) Adviser: RICK G. GUYTON Source: VOLUME 53/09-A OF DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS INTERNATIONAL. PAGE 3114. 93 PAGES Descriptors: EDUCATION, HEALTH; HEALTH SCIENCES, MENTAL HEALTH Research has indicated that while assertiveness training had been effective in improving the interpersonal communication skills of various groups, investigation of the impact of such training as part of a health instruction program for college men and women had not taken place. The lack of research is of particular interest to health educators committed to facilitating behavioral change and reducing the health risks of students. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of assertiveness training as a component within a traditional health instruction course for college students. All 120 participants in the study were enrolled as students at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, during the 1990 academic year. The independent variable was membership in one of the following groups: assertiveness training, health instruction, control. The dependent variables were assertiveness, internal health locus of control, and self-esteem, as measured by self-report questionnaires. Six research questions were asked. A brief summary of major findings included the following: (1) There was no significant difference in degree of assertiveness when comparing the posttest to the pretest for the assertiveness training, health instruction, and control groups. (2) There was no significant difference in internal health locus of control when comparing the posttest to the pretest for any of the groups. (3) There was no significant difference in self-esteem when comparing the posttest to the pretest for the three groups. It was concluded that the brief assertiveness training curriculum incorporated in a traditional health instruction course for college students had no significant group effect. Anecdotal descriptions from study participants recognized the subjective value of the curriculum and encouraged continuation of the effort. Recommendations were made for further research regarding the efficacy of the approach.
ORDER NO: ABA92-14829
Researchers have only begun to ascertain the effects of computer aids on the behaviors and attitudes of writing students, particularly those in developmental college classrooms. Studies suggest that the most positive effects of computer-assisted composition instruction (CAI) involve students' greater collaboration in writing tasks and improvement of attitudes toward writing. Findings regarding the effect of CAI on revision, fluency, writing anxiety, and gains in writing quality have been contradictory. This study set out to investigate whether the writing performance and writing anxiety of developmental community college students could be significantly affected by the use of computers in a networked environment. The CAI and the comparison groups were administered pretest essays and the Writing Apprehension Test by Daly and Miller (1974). After a semester of process-based writing instruction utilizing the same materials and syllabus, both groups produced paper-and-pencil posttest essays and took the Writing Apprehension Test again. In addition, handwritten posttest essays by the CAI group were compared to posttest essays produced by the same group on the computer. A statistical analysis of holistic scores revealed no significant differences between the CAI and comparison groups in writing performance, and no significant differences in the overall performance of the CAI group when writing on the computer as opposed to using paper and pencil. Analytical scores revealed that the content of the computer essays produced by the CAI group was rated significantly higher than the content of paper-and-pencil essays produced"Br the same group. Analysis of grammar and spelling, diction, organization and sentence structure did not yield significant differences between the handwritten and computer essays. The CAI group' s writing anxiety became significantly lower than that of the comparison group. Observations by the researcher indicated positive student retention and attitudes toward the computer, and limitations in the study due to lack of technological training and resources. Developmental students did not seem overwhelmed by the new technology or unable to benefit from it, as demonstrated by the significantly reduced writing anxiety of the CAI group, and the significantly higher rated content of the computer essays. These results, though limited in generalizability, warrant further experimentation with developmental writing instruction that integrates computer networks.
ORDER NO: ABA92-12332
Literature, which played an important role in language study when the classical or grammar-translation approach prevailed, has been neglected in ESL/EFL since the audio-lingual method gained dominance in second/foreign language instruction. Recently, the theoretical basis of the audio-lingual method has been criticized as new language learning and second language acquisition theories provide better understanding for language learning. Teachers and researchers place a renewed emphasis on the positive role of literature in developing language competence. However, the arguments in favor of literature are scattered and no coherent theory has been developed. No comprehensive research has been conducted on the proper role of literature in language instruction, on methods for integrating literature with the development of language skills, or on selecting appropriate materials and preparing teachers. This study emphasizes the following: language learning and second language acquisition theories; the role of literature in language instruction; relationship of language, literature and culture; and developing a framework for integrating literature in ESL/EFL programs at the college level. On the basis of the literature review, a comprehensive framework for integrating literature in language instruction for ESL/EFL at the college level is developed. In this framework, major contemporary language learning and second language acquisition theories are closely examined and links are established between them and the use of literature in ESL/EFL programs. Language learning goals, approaches to teaching, preparation of teachers, and criteria for selecting literature are presented. Then, a sample course syllabus is designed to provide detailed information about theoretical guidelines, course objectives, approaches to instruction, roles of teachers and students, excerpts of texts, and evaluation of students. This framework provides directions for the use of literature in English language instruction in non-native speaking environments. Its theoretical principles, directions and suggestions will be beneficial to curriculum planners, teachers and students, and textbook writers in the field of English as a second or foreign language.
ORDER NO: ABA92-09313
This research, an evaluation of an undergraduate bibliographic instruction course, was designed to answer questions of two stakeholder groups: the faculty that included the course in the undergraduate core curriculum; and the students who may elect to take the course. With regard to the course's inclusion in the general education curriculum, the major question was: In terms of library-use skill and behaviors, do course completers demonstrate that they are better able to use library resources than do non-course completers? In regard to possible course effects on the psychosocial development of undergraduates, the principal question was: Are course completers better able to integrate library-use skills and behaviors with activities of academic, career, and personal developmental domains? The research gtilized a post test only control group design. Subjects were randomly selected from the 1990 population of entering freshmen, and then two experimental conditions were randomly assigned to the subjects. Treatment subjects enrolled in and completed Library-Media Education 101 during Fall Quarter 1990; subjects in the no-treatment group did not take the course either Fall or Winter quarters, 1990-1991. Subjects in both groups completed the same test/questionnaire during Winter quarter, 1991. The test/questionnaire consisted of three parts: self reports of library use (augmented by data from the library's online circulation system); indicators of library-use choice, according to academic, career, and personal information-need stimuli; and responses to a 20-item multiple-choice skills test, each question of which tested competence along two major dimensions: library-use skills (locations of materials - types of library materials - organization of libraries - computer searching skills - library search strategy) and developmental domains (academic - career - personal). The findings included: In contrast to the skills and behaviors of no-treatment subjects, treatment subjects demonstrated better library-use skill in all developmental dimensions; treatment subjects checked out more periodicals and fewer books; and with regard to career information needs, treatment subjects indicated that they would select library resources more often as a first-choice option.
ORDER NO: ABA92-19356
This dissertation traces rhetoric and composition instruction in two Indiana universities during the 19th century: coeducational Butler and Catholic Notre Dame. With the help of evidence from the official college, the instructors, and the students, the study examines how contextual forces influenced rhetorical education at these institutions. The accounts resulting from the two case studies at times complicate and supplement the dominant narrative of 19th-century rhetoric, that is, Albert Kitzhaber's investigation of 19th-century rhetoric at Harvard, Yale, and Michigan. By moving to Midwestern universities and including a variety of archival sources, the study argues that composition historiography needs to widen its institutional and evidential base.
ORDER NO: ABA92-18634
This study examined three well-established course-integrated library instruction programs at small private liberal arts colleges, Earlham College in Indiana, Berea College in Kentucky, and Sterling College in Kansas. The study described the programs and the elements that have aided and hindered their development. The colleges were selected because of their continuity, strength, and similar approaches, and because they vary in other factors that may affect their success, such as length of development, financial support, faculty acceptance, and student characteristics. On-campuS yisits were conducted to observe the library instruction programs and examine materials, and to interview librarians, academic deans, and selected faculty and students. Earlham College's library instruction program continues to be a model of extensive, course-integrated instruction for the small liberal arts college. Widespread acceptance and use of library instruction across the disciplines and gradated instruction from freshmen to senior levels characterize the program. The commitment and skilled leadership of librarians has led to the development of strong faculty and administrative support for the program. The library instruction program at Berea College, while heavily involved with the freshmen humanities seminar, has grown to include many upper-level courses. The librarian's work in collection development and faculty involvement have strengthened the program during the past ten years, and the program has become established in the academic community. The program at Sterling College, developed ten years ago, has been implemented despite budget difficulties and turnovers in library and teaching faculty. The program has concentrated on freshmen instruction but includes components for all levels. Collection development and allocation of librarians' time reveal a high level of commitment to the program, which has been successful despite the given limitations. While many factors interactgD@to form environments conducive to the development of these programs, several key factors emerged. The leadership of the librarian, faculty interest and support, a curricula requiring library use, and administrative support, including the provision of human and financial resources, all were critical factors. The study concluded with suggestions for starting library instruction programs at small colleges and considerations for further research.
ORDER NO: ABA92-11068
The purpose of this study was to discover if there were significant relationships between the independent variables of age, gender, ethnicity, learning style, previous academic achievement, present attitude toward science and self-esteem, when compared to the dependent variables of achievement performance, attitude and attrition in audio-tutorial (A-T) biology. Students who self-selected to participate in the study (n = 785) were asked to provide information on age, gender, ethnicity, previous academic achievement and present attitude toward science. Additionally, students completed the Barsch Learning Style Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Attitude Toward A-T Biology Instruction assessment instruments which measured their learning style, their self-esteem and their attitude toward A-T biology instruction, respectively. A majority of students did well with audio-tutorial biology instruction. This study revealed that 64% of the students received an "A," "B," or "C" in audio-tutorial biology; 80% of the students in the study had a positive attitude toward A-T biology, and 68% of the students completed a term of A-T biology instruction. The study revealed that age was a factor in achievement performance in A-T biology, and that older students (i.e., students over 25) did better in A-T biology than younger students. A-T biology instruction was an effective modality for female students. Females had a significantly higher level of achievement performance than males ina|rio-tutorial biology, and females responded more favorably to A-T biology instruction than males. Audio-tutorial biology was well received by all ethnic groups. In this study, American Blacks and Asians did significantly less well, in terms of completion rate, than other minority groups, Europeans and whites, and American Blacks had significantly lower levels of achievement performance. Learning style revealed no significant relationship to achievement performance, attitude nor attrition in audio-tutorial biology. Previous academic achievement was related significantly to achievement performance and attrition in A-T biology, and present attitude toward science was related significantly to achievement performance in audio-tutorial biology, attitude and attrition. This study found that there was a significant relationship between self-esteem and achievement performance in A-T biology.
ORDER NO: ABA92-17398
The purpose of this study is to explore implications of a constructivist paradigm in the field of instructional development (ID). The dominant paradigm of ID is historically rooted in objectivism (i.e., behaviorism and systems engineering). However, objectivist-oriented ID has been criticized as overgeneralized, linear, mechanistic, and lacking sociocultural dimensions. The eclectic nature of ID has tried to accommodate an alternative paradigm (constructivism), which indicates that learning is an active, constructive process conducted by the learner him/herself. Despite the efforts of a number of scholars who have tried to encompass the constructivist paradigm into existing ID theories, there are still many difficulties in integrating the two paradigms since the basic assumptions of both are, by themselves, contradictory to each other. Interpretive methodology was employed to investigate the ID process for a course application project in a college level course for a year. This ID project was aimed at incorporating constructivist instructional theory into course activities. Based on interviews, participant observations, and document reviews, a case was described in a narrative mode from initiation to completion of the course development project in order to gain insights of developing a constructivist-oriented learning environment. Critical factors derived from analysis of the case study are (1) the basic beliefs and values of faculty, students, and instructional developers (faculty, students, and instructional developers); (2) the power relationships among the three actors; (3) the physical environment surrounding the ID situation; and (4) the cultural impact of wider systems such as the university and society. These factors are interrelated and form dialectical relationships rather than being discrete. Basic beliefs and values of each actor are reinforced by transactional processes with each other and are influenced by the culture of wider systems. Therefore, developers need to acknowledge basic beliefs and values embedded in actors and environments. A new framework of ID is considered in order to develop a constructivist learning environment. Practically, the role of the instructional developer needs to change in order to incorporate the sociocultural aspects of learning activities. Instead of searching for a foundation of knowledge, it is necessary to provide for multiple perspectives and tolerance of uncertainty to implement this alternative framework.
ORDER NO: ABA92-17383
The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze the types of problem-solving errors that students make throughout a finite mathematics course. Finite mathematics is a required course for large numbers of college freshmen at many colleges and universities. The course is primarily a problem-solving course and many of the students have great difficulty in solving many of the mathematical problems. A large database was produced that included the results for each student from the quizzes, the examinations, and the mathematics skills assessment test from each of the 250 students enrolled in one section of M118 (Finite Mathematics) taught at Indiana University. Several descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were applied to these data as a means of gaining insight into the research questions. The following conclusions were among the most significant that were drawn from the data: (1) It is possible for a team of mathematics teachers to consistently categorize the errors from students' written work in a finite mathematics course by using a modification of the error classification system developed by Movshovitz-Hadar, Zaslavsky, and Inbar (1987). (2) In decreasing order, students have the most difficulty in the course with language errors, then distortion errors, and then technical errors. (3) Students at all levels of achievement make approximately the same percentage of their errors in each error category. (4) Very few students enroll in the course with weaknesses in computational skills, but many enroll with weaknesses in problem-solving skills. It is anticipated that some of the findings from this study may contribute to the knowledge of how to offer effective instruction in college-level finite mathematics courses by offering valuable insight as to where students have difficulty in the course.
ORDER NO: ABA92-14330
This study sought to determine if teacher-made videotape lessons, known as Supplemental Video Instruction, (two topics, The Cell Cycle and Introducing Mendelian Genetics) could help students who viewed them in addition to their traditional lecture classes to earn significantly higher achievement scores and significantly lower perceived debilitating test anxiety scores than those students who viewed only the videotapes or those who only attended traditional lecture instruction. Other independent and combined relationships were examined--those between achievement and perceived debilitating test anxiety and a group of specific demographic variables. The study was conducted at a community college in southwest Mississippi during the 1990-91 fall semester. Fifty-four students enrolled for the first time in two General Biology I classes taught by the investigator were randomly assigned to three groups, eighteen in each. The groups were compared by covariance, semipartial correlation, multiple correlation, and interaction effects within the framework of multiple linear regression techniques. For The Cell Cycle topic, no significant differences were found among achievement means or perceived debilitating test anxiety means of the three groups for the three instructional methodologies. Only perceived debilitating test anxiety, among the specified variables, was significantly related to achievement. A significant relationship was found between achievement scores, but not perceived debilitating test anxiety, and the combined set of predictor variables. For the Introducing Mendelian Genetics topic, a significant difference in mean achievement was found among the three groups. No significance was found among the perceived debilitating test anxiety means. A significant independent relationship was found between achievement and reading comprehension. No significant independent relationships were found between the criterion variable of perceived debilitating test anxiety and the predictor variables. Both achievement and perceived debilitating test anxiety as criterion variables were found to show significant relationships to the combined sets of predictor variables. The relationship between achievement and perceived debilitating test anxiety was found to be negative at the conclusion of the coverage of the first and second topic. However, the relationship was more negative at the conclusion of the first topic than at the conclusion of the second topic.
ORDER NO: ABA92-10499
The purpose of this study was to create a series of instructional units designed to teach listening skills to junior high and high school pianists based on lower intermediate piano teaching repertoire. These units serve as listening guides to direct students toward important aural features of the work under consideration and help develop skills in making critical judgements, forming opinions, and expressing a personal aesthetic experience. These units were designed for both private and group lessons in which students are studying this specific literature. They would also be applicable to group classes of non-keyboard music majors studying this repertoire on the collegiate level. This project was limited to eight pieces with two chosen from each stylistic period--Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. The works were chosen from the collection, Favorite Classics, Solo Book I, selected and edited by E. L. Lancaster and Kenon D. Renfrow and published by Alfred Publishing Co. This collection was chosen because it includes well-known repertoire from all four musical periods. Selections are on a lower intermediate level and are familiar to most piano teachers. Aural guidelines were obtained from those state organizations of MTNA which included aural testing in their state musicianship auditions. Similarities and differences between the state aural requirements were summarized. These requirements influenced the design of the student worksheets. Worksheet questions and activities were designed to be completed by students after several listenings to the piece. Each worksheet includes questions ranging from a simple to more advanced level. All were designed for use without the musical score by students who were studying the piece for performance. The worksheets would be most effective when completed at the lesson with the teacher as guide. Separate Teacher Guides were written for each Student Worksheet. These Guides list terms that students should understand prior to completion of the Student Worksheet, give suggested answers to each question, and offer ideas for further discussion.
ORDER NO: ABA92-15165
Due to the huge influx of underprepared students into the postsecondary instructional system, this study was undertaken to determine if an Integrated Computer Assisted Instructional system would show superior results measured by increased cognitive gain, when compared to Traditional Instruction methodologies. A determination of the successful student based on gender, ethnicity, age and prior special education history was undertaken to develop a profile of the successful student in each modality. The method used was a pre/post protocol with experimental and control groups. The sample was randomly selected from a population of nearly four thousand students who took Mott Community College's placement tests. The sample was chosen from those students who were recommended to take remedial/developmental classes in the areas of math, English or reading improvement. Students were pre-tested with standardized instruments (Nelson Denny Reading or T.A.B.E., as appropriate). Demographic variables were examined to determine a profile of the successful student. The study extended over two full semesters and students in the control and experimental classes were assigned equivalent assignments based on time for completion; control from the textbook and experimental classes from work in the computer assisted instructional laboratory. Equivalency of the groups was tested prior to the beginning of the experiment. Analysis of final data showed that while the experimental groups achieved greater cognitive gains, only Math 021 (basic math) showed differences of a statistically significant level. The analysis showed no possibility of developing a prescriptive instrument for use as a guide for future students to choose either ICAI or traditional classroom instruction based on demographic information and resulting mean cognitive gains. No trends are evident from the analysis of these data. One finding of significant import is the retention rates for ICAI and Traditional classroom methodologies. The results show that students remain in the Computer Assisted Instructional methodology at an increased number to a statistically significant level of alpha.05 in all classes studied (Math 101, beginning algebra, English 098, basic writing, English 020, reading improvement) with the exception of Math 021, basic math.
ORDER NO: ABA92-14811
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mathematics instruction in two languages (English/Spanish) on the performance of Hispanic bilingual college students on mathematics tests of CLAST competencies and on a mathematics final examination similar to the CLAST mathematics subtest. The major research question was: To what extent is language of instruction related to Hispanic bilingual college students' course achievement in mathematics? The research hypotheses were stated directionally in favor of bilingual instruction. A one-tailed t test at.05 level of confidence was used to test the hypotheses. The sample consisted of Hispanic bilingual students enrolled in five sections of MGF 1113, at the South Campus of Miami Dade Community College, during the Winter term of the 1990-91 academic year. Two bilingual sections, with 32 students, all Hispanics, made up the experimental group. Three regular sections, with 118 students, of which 62 were Hispanics, made up the control group. All sections met twice a week, one hour and fifteen minutes each class, for sixteen weeks. The experimental group participated in bilingual instruction (English/Spanish) and the control group in traditional instruction (English only). Both groups received the same mathematical instruction, with the same book. The same concepts, skills and algorithms were taught to both groups each class meeting. The same tests were administered to both groups on the same dates. The difference was language of instruction. Students in the bilingual group took the bilingual version of the four partial tests, which had the same questions but written in English and Spanish. The final examination was in English only for both groups. The study found that Hispanic bilingual college students who participated in bilingual instruction achieved significantly higher scores in the mathematics areas of logic, probability/statistics and geometry, but not in algebra. Scores on a final examination similar to the CLAST mathematics subtest were significantly higher for Hispanic students in the bilingual experimental group. It was concluded that bilingual instruction (English/Spanish) was more effective than traditional instruction (English only) in promoting overall higher academic achievement for Hispanics, on CLAST mathematics competencies examinations.
ORDER NO: ABA92-14758
The purpose of this study was to analyze and interpret the results of fall term student ratings of faculty teaching performance (n = 40,000) in order to determine whether relationships exist between a range of demographic variables and the ratings professors receive from students enrolled in their classes. A population of 645 full-time faculty and 273 teaching assistants from 11 clleges across Oregon State University were evaluated in fall term 1989-1990 by students who completed the university's Student Assessment of Teaching Instrument (SATI). The results from an analysis of demographic variables and faculty ratings revealed that students rated faculty significantly different in major and non-major courses. No differences were found between faculty ratings and student variables of GPA, expected grade, and percent of classroom attendance. Overall faculty ratings in large and small classes were not significantly different, although differences were found on several SATI instructional dimensions. Students in large classes rated faculty higher on clearly presenting course objectives/requirements, being well prepared and organized, clearly presenting subject matter concepts, and relevancy of examinations. Faculty in small classes received the highest ratings on the sensitivity of the instructor to student understanding material presented in class, or having more opportunity for student/faculty interaction. Statistical differences were found between graduate and undergraduate ratings of faculty teaching performance. Freshman class level in undergraduate courses and graduate students gave significantly higher faculty ratings than other levels. Significant gender differences were also found in student ratings of faculty in the Colleges of Engineering and Home Economics. Female faculty in Engineering received significantly higher ratings than male faculty by male students. Conversely, male faculty in Home Economics received significantly higher ratings than female faculty by female students. There was no significant difference between tenure status and faculty ratings; however a difference did appear when tenure was compared with faculty productivity rates (publications in refereed journals). No significant differences were found between publication rates and faculty rank. Differences in faculty publication rates appeared when gender of the faculty was analyzed. There was no significant difference between teaching performance ratings for all academic ranks of full-time faculty and non-international teaching assistants (NITAs). Statistical differences were noted for international teaching assistants (ITAs) and all academic ranks. Significant difference were found between NITAs and ITAs overall ratings as well as along several instructional dimensions of the SATI.
ORDER NO: ABA92-14710
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a computer-based mandatory lab for Fundamentals of College Algebra produces higher academic performance than a traditional teacher-aided lab. Other purposes of the study were to determine whether there was a significant difference between traditional-aged students opposed to nontraditional-aged (25 years or older) students, and between male compared to female students in what was learned. Procedures. Two hundred and forty students in two sections of Fundamentals of College Algebra were involved in the study. All students attended a traditional lecture three times a week and were randomly assigned to either a mandatory computer-aided or teacher-aided lab. A randomized pre-test and post-test comparison research design was used to treat the three main hypotheses. interaction effects were also determined. Findings. Using the analysis of covariance procedures, with pre-test as covariate, there were no significant differences between CAI students opposed to teacher-aided lab students, and no significant difference was found between the males opposed to females at p = 0.05. There was a significant difference between traditional-aged and nontraditional-aged students, with the nontraditional-aged students scoring higher on the post-test. There were no significant differences in the interaction effects of the lab type and age, lab type and gender, or of gender and age. Conclusions. Since there was no preferred lab treatment, the results indicate that students do just as well in a teacher-aided as a computer-aided lab in Fundamentals of College Algebra. The significant difference between traditional-aged and nontraditional-aged students needs to be made known to encourage the older student. Females need to be aware that many studies such as this find no significant difference between males compared to females.
ORDER NO: ABA92-11136
This dissertation investigated writing instruction in Canadian universities using a combination of three research methods--historical analysis, a survey, and case studies--to compile data for analysis. The investigations undertaken in this study all sought to identify and describe how universities conceptualized writing instruction (by identifying the theories of writing used) as well as how universities taught writing (what forms or practices were used). The theory and practice of writing instruction in a Canadian context--past, present, and future--describes the research reported in this dissertation. The investigations of past practices in writing instruction form the basis for the second chapter as well as providing some context for each of the case studies reported in chapters four and five. Writing instruction has had a place in Canadian universities from the establishment of what became Laval University. The nature of this instruction, however, changed as cultural, social, and political conditions shifted. Instruction today is also subject to political, cultural, and social conditions such as the demand for more sophisticated writing skills for all students. The survey reported in the third chapter describes some of the results of these demands, such as the wide variety of disciplines that provide writing instruction (over half of all undergraduate faculties provide some kind of writing instruction). The case studies reported in the fourth and fifth chapters describe writing instruction in a variety of disciplines, including English, engineering, education, and continuing education. The concluding chapter explores the relationship between writing instruction and national goals, economic conditions, and public policy in an effort to suggest what configurations future writing instruction in Canadian universities should take.
ORDER NO: ABA92-10754
Second language teaching has long been recognized as offering several benefits to second language learners. Some of the more recently claimeH)benefits have emphasized cross-cultural awareness, open mindedness to promote understanding, a liberation of the mind, the end of the melting pot mentality, and an appreciation of foreign cultures. These benefits have become cliches for many foreign language teachers and are, thus, often taken for granted. This has led to a paucity of quantitative research investigating these claims. This work summarizes one study which attempted to analyze various methods of decreasing ethnocentrism among first-semester German students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during the spring semester of 1991. The study expanded upon the approach of Tuttle et al. (1979) in which it was found that ethnocentrism was more greatly reduced among groups in which cultural similarities between American and Spanish culture were emphasized than in groups emphasizing cultural differences. Many educators seem to have an "instinctive" belief in this finding, yet there had evidently been no previous studies of this claim performed at the college level. The study undertaken by the author did find differing changes in ethnocentrism depending upon the group to which subjects belonged. Although the differences among the three groups (one group emphasized cultural similarities, one emphasized cultural differences, the third served as a control group) were not statistically significant, they could serve as a point of departure for further studies which would seek to investigate this claim under alternative conditions.
ORDER NO: ABA92-10579
This study examines the theories that surround collection development and library instruction as primary responsibilities in the management of academic libraries and analyzes current policies and programs in support of collection development in the libraries of Catholic colleges and universities located in the United States. The history of collection development as a process for building library collections is traced from early reports of book selection and acquisition as critical tasks to recent literature that reports the process of building collections to be more complex in its task structures than selection and acquisition. The history of instruction in the use of library materials is examined from early reports of its occurrence in academic libraries to current understanding of the nature of this instruction and the form in which it is offered. Catholic college and university libraries were selected for a review of current policies and programs in collection development and library instruction in an effort to increase the body of knowledge on the two arJ s of academic library management that are considered to be critical responsibilities for effective management. Results of the study indicate that neither collection development nor library instruction are practiced widely enough in Catholic colleges and universities to be described as critical elements in the management of the libraries. Further study is needed to determine why collection development and library instruction are not practiced when these processes are identified as essential elements for insuring quality in higher education and necessary factors in an information society.
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