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1992-1993 Dissertation Abstracts: Part 1
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ORDER NO: ABA96-39886
THE EFFECTS OF A COMPUTER-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL ON THE CAUSAL DIMENSION PATTERNS OF ADULTS Author: BARNES, FELICIE MCENERY Degree: ED.D. Year: 1992 Corporate Source/Institution: GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY (1195) Major Professor: BENNIE R. LOWERY Source: VOLUME 57/07-A OF DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS INTERNATIONAL. PAGE 2827. 314 PAGES Descriptors: EDUCATION, CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION ; EDUCATION, HIGHER ; EDUCATION, ADMINISTRATION This study examined the functional similarity between a computer-based instructional (CBI) model and an attributionally facilitative training (AFT) model. The question posed was: Would a CBI model produce the same causal dimension patterns as would be expected to result from an AFT model in both success and failure situations? The AFT model was based on Weiner's Attributional Theory and the associated application-oriented investigations. One group, the CBI model group, was the treatment group while the traditional group served as a comparison group and did not receive CBI. Both groups consisted of adults involved in basic skills training programs at the workplace or at an adult learning center. Both models had a success-enhanced outcome component and a congruent persuasion component. The evaluation component determined attributional effectiveness. A dimensional measure was proposed to be a more precise and accurate appraisal of AFT model effectiveness than were ascriptions, performance, or persistence measures. Predicted facilitative causal dimension patterns in both success and failure situations were theoretically derived. A standardized exam was used to establish the pre- and post-treatment success and failure situations. The Causal Dimension Scale was used to measure the pre to post dimensional movements along all three subscales--causal locus, stability, and controllability. The results indicate that both models elicited dimensional movements; however, these movements did not shift simultaneously along all three subscales in the predicted directions in either the success or failure situations. Although not conclusive, the findings suggest that a CBI model could function as an AFT model. The applied nature of this investigation demonstrates that field-based attributional research is feasible and useful for infusing theory in practice. The findings support the utility of the AFT model for the systematic analysis of components and the future isolation of facilitative design features that may influence developmental student perceptions of cause, which theoretically affect copying behaviors and goal attainment.
ORDER NO: ABA96-39885
Police officers are being held to higher levels of accountability for the many complex duties that they perform. In basic police academy training, cadets are provided with instruction in a variety of topics including complex legal topics. The legal concept of arrest is a complex, defined concept that is taught in the academy as if it were a fact or procedure. Because this legal concept is taught as if it were a fact, rather than a concept, there is a lack of instructional congruence. This research examined the importance of this instructional mismatch by designing the instruction in the legal concept of arrest by following an instructional design strategy, Elaboration Theory. In addition, this research examined the significance of the cognitive style of the cadet on their learning of the legal concept of arrest. There were 155 nonrandomized police cadets involved in this study. The group receiving the redesigned instruction performed significantly better on the standardized POST exit examination when compared to the cadets receiving the traditional instruction. Cadets that were field independent in their cognitive style performed better than those who were field dependent. The redesigned instruction provided for significant improvement in the test score means of both field dependent and field independent cadets. However, there was no interaction between the cognitive style and the instruction.
ORDER NO: ABA95-03980
Nursing educators and administrators are concerned about medication errors made by students and staff nurses which jeopardize patient safety. The inability to conceptualize and calculate medication dosages, often related to math anxiety, are implicated in the medication errors. A computer-assisted instruction (CAI) program is seen as a viable method to allow students to learn the mathematics in a non-threatening, self-paced environment. The purpose of this Major Applied Research Project was to produce a quality CAI software program for beginning baccalaureate nursing students at San Jose State University based upon research of specific needs and problems. The research methodology was developmental, consisting of several interrelated steps. Gagne's Nine Events of Instruction provided the main conceptual framework and instructional design guidelines. The steps consisted of the following: (1) analyzing data from 196 student surveys and evaluating the errors made by beginning nursing students in 422 dosage and solution exams; (2) critically evaluating six currently available software programs in dosage and solution mathematics; (3) developing a prototype CAI program which emphasized mathematical problem-solving, using "Course Builder" an authoring program for the Macintosh computer; and (5) evaluating the prototype program based on French and Stimmel's software evaluation tool. The results from the evaluations showed high rankings in most areas. Conclusions include the following: (1) the types of problems and errors made by SJSU nursing students follow the trend identified in the literature; (2) the problem-solving approach used for the CAI program, "Mastering Medication Math", developed for this project meets the suggestions in the literature on decreasing medication errors and math anxiety; (3) a CAI program can be a cost-effective means of providing basic instruction in dosage and solution mathematics for all students, but especially for disadvantaged students.
ORDER NO: ABA93-03331
This study sought to determine the effects of Critical Thinking Skills Instruction (CTSI) on the academic achievement of students at Fayetteville State University of North Carolina in 1989-1990. The subject sample consisted of all freshmen and transfer students required to enroll in CTSI. Among the subject sample, students who enrolled in the CTSI course became the experimental group while those students who could not enroll for various reasons (non-CTSI) became the control group. Student ages ranged from 17 to 30 years old. In this study, 338 students were taught CTSI for one semester, 235 eligible students were not. After experimental and control groups were identified, the subject sample was subdivided into subgroups based on gender, race, and level (Honors, Regular, Support). Spring Semester 1990 GPA was used to indicate academic achievement of CTSI and non-CTSI students.
ORDER NO: ABA94-00031
Most colleges and universities have no plan to prepare for the future of instructional computer-mediated communications (CMC). In order to develop such a plan, a vision of the future of CMC needs to be formed. This study attempted to create this vision by predicting the prevalent CMC applications that will be used, the resources required to support these applications, and the major obstacles that will need to be overcome. Faculty around the world extensively using CMC in instruction participated in an electronic Delphi study to address these issues. The study found that future prevalent CMC applications included those that support normal classroom activities such as sending and receiving assignments and distributing class handouts. The required resources included network access, new teaching skills, and additional time to integrate CMC into the classroom. The major obstacle was faculty resistance towards CMC.
ORDER NO: ABA93-33110
This study investigated the importance of establishing a comprehensive instructional development program for improving university teaching, as perceived by administrators and teaching staff members at Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University (IMIU), Saudi Arabia. It also provides basic information to be used by the administration of IMIU, and other institutions of higher education to plan and implement an effective, comprehensive program to improve university teaching. Questionnaires were designed to obtain answers and to determine perceptions of administrators and teaching staff members regarding the following research questions: (1) What kind of programs or activities, if any, are offered by IMIU for improving university teaching? (2) What is the perceived importance of establishing a comprehensive instructional development program by administrators? (3) What is the perceived importance of establishing a comprehensive instructional development program by teaching staff members? (4) What are the differences in perceptions among teaching staff members regarding (a) the importance of establishing a comprehensive instructional development program and (b) regarding specific program activities according to these variables: respondents' rank, academic field, and type of university from which their last degree was received? Forty-two administrators and one hundred seventy-one teaching staff members of the Riyadh campus of IMTU participated in the study. Frequency distributions, percentages, means, standard deviations, one-way analysis of variance, and the Scheffe test were used to analyze the data. The study confirms previous studies about the importance of instructional development programs to improve teaching. Major conclusions drawn from the study are: There is no organized program for improving university teaching at IMIU. Overall, administrators and teaching staff members agree that it is very important to establish a comprehensive instructional program for improving university teaching. Three areas of program activities--special activities for new faculty and teaching assistants, workshops and seminars, and teaching evaluation--are perceived by administrators and teaching staff members as moderately important. General and professional activities are perceived by both groups as very important. There is almost a unanimous agreement between administrators and teaching staff members in their perceptions about the importance of every activity listed. The respondents, it seems, labeled the activity as "Not important" when they thought their class room privacy would be invaded. The study found that rank, academic field, and the type of university from which the respondents received their last degree have a significant influence on the perception of teaching staff members.
ORDER NO: ABA93-30546
This study describes the classroom interaction in a community college basic writing course in order to better understand how Mexican American college students and their teacher negotiate the literacy learning considered necessary for success. It explores how the social and educational situation of Mexican Americans, the personal histories and educational experiences of the students and the teacher, the structure and content of interaction, and the gender of the participants all affect the interaction between Mexican American college students and their Anglo American teacher. Participants in this study include an Anglo American instructor and her basic writing students, particularly five Mexican American focal students. Employing macro- and micro-level ethnographic methods, data were collected and analyzed at the classroom and community levels. Field notes, audio tapes of classroom interaction, classroom documents, student essays, and interviews with the teacher were analyzed across ethnicity and gender to discover the rules governing the content and structure of interaction (both spoken and written) in a variety of contexts--whole class, one-to-one tutorials, and unofficial peer interaction. These data also reveal that the personal histories and past educational experiences of the focal students were all related to their experiences as Mexican Americans. At the macro-level, analysis of data on the social and educational situation of Mexican Americans, including field notes, community college documents, newspaper accounts, local histories, and scholarly works, outlines a history of Anglo American attempts to silence Mexican Americans politically, economically, culturally, and educationally. Findings reveal that the classroom interaction of Mexican American basic writing students and their instructor at the micro-level was reflective of macro-level attempts to silence Mexican Americans in the community. Mexican American students interacted less than their Anglo American counterparts in the classroom. The interplay of personal histories and past educational experiences as Mexican Americans with the structure and content of classroom interaction led to effectively "silencing" these students in the classroom. Importantly, this "silence" varied across mode and context according to gender, suggesting a need to re-evaluate research on ethnicity and interaction that fails to consider the role of gender.
ORDER NO: ABA93-26204
The purpose of this study conducted at a university in central Connecticut during the summer session was to compare the instructional effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and conventional instruction (CI) for the teaching of an operations management course to college-level students. Students from two college-level operations management class were randomly assigned to either a lecture/discussion/conventional review group or a lecture/discussion/computer-assisted review group. The study compared the relative effectiveness of the types of instruction strategies on students' academic performance and retention level. The major hypothesis tested was: "there will be a significant difference in the performance and retention level of college-level students when instructors use a lecture/discussion teaching strategy which incorporates a computer-assisted review as compared to a lecture/discussion teaching strategy which incorperates a conventional review for the teaching of an operations management course, when general aptitude is controlled through using SAT scores as the covariate." At the end of the instruction students were immediately administered a posttest and a retention level test two weeks later. Both tests used the same standard test: the ACT (American College Testing Program) Proficiency Examination Program: Operations Management, Level I. The students' SAT scores obtained from the registrars records were used as covariates on the dependent variables (posttest mean scores and retention level mean scores) to equalize the general aptitude of the groups. Analysis of Covariance revealed that there were no significant differences in performance scores and retention level scores of the two groups after adjusting for differences in general aptitude. CAI, as a instructional strategy, was shown to be as effective as the CI method, therefore, instructors may use computer-assisted instruction strategy as an alternative to supplement their instructional practices. While this study does not provide empirical evidence to justify integrating computer-assisted instruction in teaching operations management on the basis of student learning, it does offer a format for further research. Further studies should be conducted to assess the effect of repeated and continuous use of CAI on student performance and their retention level.
ORDER NO: ABA93-22275
This study reports information received from basic writing instructors at colleges in the Christian College Coalition, a group of 77 Christian, liberal arts colleges in the U.S. and Canada. Respondents completed a questionnaire and submitted sample syllabi and writing assignments. The study compares data from the respondents to current theories of basic writing instruction, most notably those of Andrea Lunsford and Mike Rose. It also compares the results to a similar study of all colleges by Joe Trimmer. The study found that the Christian College Coalition population was similar to the national population with regard to placement methods, textbook choice, and course goals. However, the study showed that a significant portion of basic writing courses are taught by tenure track English department faculty members. This finding represents a strength of this population as the national study showed that almost no basic writing courses were taught by tenure track faculty. In addition, the atmosphere of the small, Christian liberal arts colleges encourages low teacher/student ratios and more contact between faculty members and students in writing classes. These are areas of strength the Coalition schools should develop further. This study also reports and analyzes actual writing assignments and syllabi, some of the course materials Stephen North calls "lore." The examination of these materials shows more clearly than survey responses the types of writing students are actually doing in basic writing classes.
ORDER NO: ABA93-20114
This study identified and examined the perceptions of leader behaviors of deans of instruction serving within the Alabama College System and the relationship of these behaviors to organizational commitment and effectiveness. The following null hypotheses were designed and tested to analyze the perceived behavior and its impact on the organization. Hypothesis I. There will be no significant difference in how the president, dean, and division chairs perceive the dean's leader behavior. The result of the analysis of variance showed a significant difference among the respondents on both the variables of consideration and structure. Hypothesis II. There will not be a positive relationship between the division chairs' perception of the dean's consideration behaviors and their expressed affective commitment. A multiple regression procedure used to investigate this relationship indicated a moderate positive relationship. Hypothesis III. There will be no positive relationship between the division chairs' perception of the dean's initiating structure and consideration and their expressed perception of the dean's effectiveness. This relationship was evaluated with a correlation matrix and a multiple regression analysis. The correlation between effectiveness and each of the independent variables was moderate and positive in each case. The multiple regression coefficient for consideration, structure, and their interaction was also moderate. Implications. Analysis of the findings shows several statistically significant relationships which have positive implications for professional development of the dean of instruction within the Alabama College System.
ORDER NO: ABA93-11298
The study attempted to determine the relationship between student evaluation of instruction and institutional performance ratings with the following predictors: faculty job satisfaction, faculty attitudes toward the evaluation process, faculty attitudes toward factors associated with the evaluation process, and faculty characteristics. Forty-one full-time faculty members at a single academic institution were surveyed and 38 of them responded with useable surveys. Multiple regression combined with backward elimination was the primary method of statistics used. Analysis of the data indicated that a significant relationship existed between student evaluation of instruction of Tests and Exams and faculty attitudes toward the effectiveness of the evaluation process. Significant relationships existed between faculty attitudes toward factors associated with the evaluation process and student evaluations of the following: Faculty and Student Interaction, Communication, Tests and Exams, and Overall Evaluation. Faculty satisfaction levels and characteristics (faculty gender, rank and education level) were not found to be significant predictors for either student evaluation of instruction or the institutional performance rating process.
ORDER NO: ABA93-10532
The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional effects of graphics-enhanced CAI and imagery training on students' statistics learning. Two training programs were developed to equip students with the entering knowledge before they used the CAI program. One was an imagery training packet which included instructions on visualizing statistical concepts using line-drawings. The other was placebo training which covered the same content without any visual imagery training. The subjects were randomly assigned to the training techniques. A visual preference scale (SOP) was administered prior to trainings to assess subjects' preference in processing visual ideas. A text-based CAI (computer-assisted instruction) and graphics-enhanced CAI were administered on an individual basis after two training programs had been conducted. Subjects were randomly assigned to two CAI programs. At the end of the computer instructions, subjects were given pencil-paper posttest to assess their learning. All hypotheses tested were found not significant at the.05 level. Two a posteriori hypotheses were found to be significant at the.05 level. The study investigated was a 2 x 2 (Training by CAI Treatment) factorial design. Results indicated that the presence of graphics in a CAI program to provide informational feedback did not promote learning. In addition, students with imagery training did not score higher than students with placebo training in the posttest. However, a posteriori tests showed that training was beneficial when covarying computer-task scores. A significant interaction was also found between students' visual aptitude and visual training. The median visualizers were the only group which benefited most from imagery training. Suggestions for further study were also provided to assess the instructional effects of graphics and imagery training on student's learning.
ORDER NO: ABA93-09215
Illustrations not only may enhance visual thinking but also communicate certain types of information more effectively than linguistic symbol systems (Levie & Lentz, 1982). All individuals do not learn equally through pictorial instruction. Some people prefer to learn visually, whereas others learn better from the textual materials (Kirby & Moore, 1988). This study examined the effect of line drawings on the acquisition of Spanish vocabulary and the interaction between learning styles and instructional methods. A 3 x 4 factorial design was used for this study. The independent variable was type of instructional method with three treatment levels: (1) native language translation, (2) line drawing, and (3) a combination of native language translation and line drawing. The dependent variable was Spanish vocabulary achievement measured with a fifteen item quasi cloze test after the three days self-instructional lessons. Data on learning styles were also obtained from the Learning Preferences Questionnaire (Kirby, Moore & Schofield, 1988). One hundred and fifty-nine subjects at the University of Texas at Austin were randomly assigned to the different treatments. Results showed that subjects using line drawings performed significantly better than subjects given native translation or a combination of line drawing and native translation. Subjects using the combination of native translation and line drawings performed significantly better than subjects using native language translation on the immediate and delayed posttests. No significant relationship was found between learning styles and instructional methods. Results showed a significant relationship between subjects' prior Spanish knowledge and vocabulary learning. This study suggests the need for further research on second language reading skills which influence vocabulary achievement over an extended period of time. Future research is also needed to determine the effects of different types of illustrations on vocabulary learning.
ORDER NO: ABA92-37474
Educators, especially classroom instructors, are continually seeking ways of assisting students to learn the basic content taught in their courses. Some research has focused on increasing students' performance in science courses by providing time (pauses), during the lecture, to reflect on the content. Instructors allow the pauses to occur intermittently during the lecture, dividing the lecture into smaller segments. The purpose of this study was to determine whether community college science students, who were exposed to pause periods during lectures, would exhibit improved performance on tests covering the lecture content. The study was conducted in the Spring of 1991 at Germanna Community College in Locust Grove, Virginia. Students enrolled in General Biology II and General Chemistry II participated in the field experiment. Sections of the courses were designated as either experimental (those experiencing passing) by the choice of the instructor. The experimental subjects were exposed to pause periods of two-minute durations, intermittently during the lecture, throughout the last eight weeks of the Spring Semester. The control subjects were not exposed to pause periods. The data necessary for assessing the effectiveness of pausing were gathered during and at the end of the course. Statistical tests used to analyze the data included the Chi-square test for independence and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The findings and conclusions of the study were: (1) There was a difference in test performance in one of the five classes which experienced pausing. (2) The test performance of the students enrolled in the additional four classes which experienced pausing was not significantly different when compared to the students in the control groups who were not exposed to pausing. (3) The majority of the students perceived pause periods to be effective in increasing their understanding of the lecture content. From these findings, it is recommended that additional studies be performed to identify those conditions that are necessary for pausing to be consistently effective.
ORDER NO: ABA93-14551
This study focused on the development and evaluation of audio-tutorial materials for teaching the application software portion of an introductory, college-level microcomputer course. The three major components of the study were the development of the audio-tutorial materials, the development of the criterion-referenced instrument, and a summative evaluation of the audio-tutorial materials. The audio-tutorial strategies and techniques were based on the model of Samuel N. Postlethwait. The materials were developed, formatively evaluated, and revised as suggested by the 1985 Dick and Carey model of instructional design. The criterion-referenced, 70-item instrument was also developed in the manner suggested by the Dick and Carey model. The instrument was analyzed for reliability and validity. It then served as both the pretest and posttest during the summative evaluation. The summative evaluation involved use of the audio-tutorial materials to teach the application software portion of two sections of an introductory microcomputer course during the Fall semester of 1991. To evaluate the relative effectiveness of the audio-tutorial approach, the traditional lecture/demonstration approach of the same instructor teaching the same elements of the course during the Spring semester of 1991 was used as a benchmark. A quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest design was used. Three research hypotheses were stated. Two of the hypotheses sought to evaluate the relative effectiveness of the audio-tutorial materials by analyzing pretest and posttest scores using a three-way analysis of variance technique. Support was found for the first hypothesis: that the audio-tutorial approach was at least as effective as traditional instructional methods. Support was also found for the second hypothesis: that the audio-tutorial materials were as effective for students with prior microcomputer experience as for novice students. The third research hypothesis, that the use of the audio-tutorial materials would not increase the student withdrawal rates for sections in which it was used, was supported under several conditions by analysis of data that came from official university enrollment and withdrawal records. Possible reasons for the findings are presented. Student evaluations of the audio-tutorial method are presented and discussed. Directions for future studies are suggested.
ORDER NO: ABA93-14304
The purpose of this study was to (a) determine the effectiveness of cognitive writing strategy (PENS) instruction and (b) compare the effect of PENS learning strategy instruction, Developmental Writing course instruction, and Gordon Rule course instruction on written expression skills of college students with learning disabilities. The subjects in this investigation were college students with learning disabilities who have registered with the Office of Disabled Student Services on the campuses of the University of Florida and Santa Fe Community College. The study included a pretest, an implementation phase, and a posttest. Scores were obtained from writing samples on fluency, syntactic maturity, vocabulary, mechanics, and organization of written work. A nonrandom pretest-posttest design with one between (educational experience) and one within (performance over time) group factor was used. A MANCOVA procedure failed to reject the multivariate null hypothesis (no treatment group effect on the five criterion measures after adjustment on the pretest scores). Exploratory analyses were conducted. Individual ANCOVAs were used to test for significant treatment effect for the five criterion measures between the three groups on posttest scores after adjusting for the pretest scores. No significant difference was found between the treatment groups for Fluency, Syntactic Maturity, and Organization. Significant differences were found among the treatment group means on Vocabulary and Mechanics. Follow-up tests using pairwise contrasts found no significant differences for Mechanics and Vocabulary; however, two pairwise tests approached significance for Vocabulary suggesting that PENS subjects made gains in Vocabulary while subjects in the Developmental Writing course and the Gordon Rule courses did not make improvements in Vocabulary. Two-way Repeated Measures ANOVAs were also used to evaluate the success of each treatment in improving writing skills on each of the five criterion measures from the pretest to the posttest occasion. On the average, across the three treatments, a gain was made in Syntactic Maturity (writing more complex sentences). These results have educational implications for college students with learning disabilities.
ORDER NO: ABA93-10641
Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the population. They consume the largest quantities of prescription and nonprescription medication compared to other age groups, often using drugs on a daily basis over extended periods of time. They are prime candidates for many types of medication errors often as a result of an inadequate understanding of the drug regimen, misinterpreting the medical professionals' instructions, or noncomprehension of labeled prescription information. In order to determine if there was a need to develop a continuing education program for medical professionals to teach them to instruct their older patients correct self-medication practices, this research investigated the effects of an educational program for adults 65 and older in the correct use of prescription label information. The study incorporated a quasiexperimental, descriptive research design involving adults 65 and older from the Detroit metropolitan area and suburbs. Analysis of variance was used to investigate the research questions at the.05 level of confidence. Seventy-five subjects met the protocols of the study and completed all pre and posttest measurements. The instruments used in this study included a modified version of the Drug Knowledge Assessment Questionnaire and the Medication Knowledge Scale. The dependent variables studied were the pretest and posttest scores of the two instruments before and after treatment. Two research questions were addressed individually using inferential statistical techniques including analysis of variance and t-tests for dependent samples. On the basis of research findings, teaching appears to be an effective method of communicating prescription therapy to older adults. Other major findings evidenced no differences in the acquirement of drug and medication knowledge based on demographic characteristics. This research suggests that patient education is a critical component of health care with the health professional becoming a facilitator of learning and problem solving to help patients understand medical information to benefit their health status. The need for patient education as a more structured organized activity among health professionals needs more commitment and implementation in higher education curricula.
ORDER NO: ABA93-05202
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of learning computer programming on the problem solving skills of community college students. The subjects under examination were sixty-nine students enrolled in four different introductory computer science classes in two different community colleges in western Oregon. A pretest and a posttest were administered to all participants in the study as a way of measuring gains in problem solving ability. While scores of the tests were considered dependent variables, the answers to a short questionnaire and the grade received at the end of the class were considered the independent variables. Correlation techniques, frequencies, t-tests and ANOVAs were run on the data to statistically determine the relationship between problem solving skills and the independent variables. The results indicated that on the overall there is a significant difference between the pretest and the posttest for problem solving skills. Furthermore, there are also significant gains in three specific skills identified as problem translation, procedure comprehension and logical reasoning. However, no gain existed for the verbal ability skill components of the tests. Based upon the findings, it was concluded that computer programming does provide an effective avenue to the development of problem solving skills in community college students.
ORDER NO: ABA93-12623
This investigation focussed on international teaching assistants' perspectives on the effects of cultural, ethnic, and racial differences on their instructional communication practices. It investigated (1) the experiences of international teaching assistants, (2) their perspectives on teaching, (3) the impact of those perspectives on instructional communication, and (4) why and how international teaching assistants develop their particular perspectives. The participants were six international teaching assistants from Arab and Indian backgrounds, two women and four men. Each had at least three semesters' experience in teaching undergraduates. They teach a variety of subjects: calculus, algebra, biology, marketing, American literature, and statistics. The study utilized a grounded theory approach, a qualitative approach, for data collection and analysis. Data was gathered from at least ten class observations, and at least four open-ended and in-depth interviews, with each participant. Open-ended interviews allowed participants to raise issues of importance to them. In-depth interviews, which consisted of more focused questions, allowed participants to clarify their views and speak to particular issues. During data analysis, events and incidents described by participants which were potentially indicative and supportive of key issues in the study were compared and verified across the data. Key issues were then categorized, conceptualized, and provisionally labeled. Issues which appeared to relate across various categories were grouped and given a conceptual name. The investigation concluded that (1) the international teaching assistants' perceptions of cultural differences are influenced by their experiences in their native and American societies, (2) their sensitivity to cultural differences shapes their perspectives on teaching, including their interpretations of proper teacher-student roles, and (3) effects of cross-cultural disparities are most apparent in their expectations of student classroom behavior and relations with students. The study also found that the international teaching assistants' perspectives on good teaching were largely similar to those of American university teachers in general. The study generally recommends opening more channels of communication between international teaching assistants and their colleagues, students, and administrators regarding issues of cultural difference. Programs which encourage the sharing of experiences will foster good communication, and as a result, good learning environments.
ORDER NO: ABA93-12592
The purpose of this study was to determine whether student success, as measured by fraction posttest grades, was related to enrollment in an independent study program or classroom approach to arithmetic remediation. Moreover, this study attempted to ascertain whether learning styles, specific background characteristics, or reading levels influenced student success in either mode of arithmetic remediation. Based on this purpose, three research questions were used to guide the study: (1) Do significant differences exist in fraction posttest grades received by students in the independent study, classroom instruction, or no treatment group? (2) Do students with a learning style preference for independence or affiliation receive significantly different grades on fraction posttests when instruction is consistent with their preferred learning style? (3) Do the variables of gender, age, ethnicity, or reading ability affect student posttest scores? To determine the answers to the research questions, this cross-validation study used a pretest-posttest control group design. Students who exhibited deficiencies in the area of fractions were assigned randomly to one of three groups. The control group did not receive any treatment during this three week study. Students in the other groups either received classroom instruction in a collaborative environment or worked independently on learning materials. Upon completion of the instructional period, the data for this study and its replication was analyzed by using hierarchical multiple regression. Students who received either treatment performed significantly better on posttests than those students assigned to the control group. It was found, however, that learning style preference, gender, age, ethnicity, or reading ability did not affect student success on the fraction posttests. In conclusion, the results of this study did not reveal a specific criteria that could be used by advisors and counselors of developmental mathematics students to assign students to particular instructional modes. The research, however, did indicate the need for well-designed remediation programs. Remediation of mathematical skills will be accomplished only if college programs and services are available to provide guidance and encouragement to a diverse student population.
ORDER NO: ABA93-11133
The increasing number of hazardous materials accidents in the United States has resulted in new federal regulations addressing the emergency response activities associated with chemical releases. A significant part of these new federal standards (29 CFR 1910.120 and 40 CFR Part 311) requires compliance with specific criteria by all personnel involved in a hazardous material emergency. This study investigated alternative lesson design models applicable to instruction for hazardous material emergencies. A specialized design checklist was created based on the work of Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (1988), Merrill (1987), and Clark (1989). This checklist was used in the development of lesson plan templates for the hazardous materials incident commander course. Qualitative data for establishing learning objectives was collected by conducting a needs assessment and a job analysis of the incident commander position. Incident commanders from 14 public and private organizations participated in the needs assessment process. Technical information for the lessons was collected from appropriate governmental agencies. The implementation of the checklist and lesson plans can contribute to assuring quality training for incident commanders throughout the United States. References. Clark, R. C. (1989). Developing technical training: A structured approach for the development of classroom and computer-based instructional materials. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Gagne, R. M., Briggs, L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1988). Principles of instructional design (3rd ed.). New York: Rinehart and Winston. Merrill, M. D. (1987). Job and task analysis. In R. M. Gagne (Ed.), Instructional technology foundations (pp. 141-173). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
ORDER NO: ABA93-06867
Researchers in the domain of reading instruction in higher education have suggested that reading instruction should be integrated into content courses. Using computer-based instruction is one way to integrate reading instruction into content courses. Some empirical researchers have demonstrated that computer-based reading instruction is effective in improving students' reading comprehension. Yet investigations of computer-based reading instruction have not provided sufficient information about how readers interact with computer-based reading programs or about the effectiveness of computer-mediated reading programs from the perspective of the reader. The major goal of this study was to describe how students reacted to a reading comprehension program delivered by computer and how their reading and understanding of texts changed during a semester of instruction in an introductory graduate course in Cognitive Science and Instructional Design. Another goal was to add to knowledge about graduate students' reading performances. This study involved 52 interviews with six participants over the semester. The result of this study showed that having a computer-mediated reading program in a content course was an entirely new and unexpected environment for the students. Inevitably, the technological nature of the environment created problems. However, they soon overcame their initial frustration and began to use the program comfortably and confidently. The students used the program in individual ways, creating personal learning environments to meet their needs and constraints. Using the program differently made it a richer and more flexible environment. Using the computer reading program was beneficial for both skilled and less skilled readers.
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