This study explored supportive relationships among objectives from different domains of learning outcomes, namely, the learning of a concept classification skill, information, and attitudes toward the skill. Two versions of an instructional module on the ARCS motivation model were randomly assigned to pre-service teacher-education students. One version contained examples of problem solving, using teachers as models, whereas the other version used business training as the context of the module. Together with the "relevance" of the instruction, self-concept of ability, attitude toward learning of the ARCS model, actual level of skill acquisition, and final attitude toward the practical use of the ARCS model formed a hypothesized path model of causal inference, which was to be empirically confirmed in this study. / The results indicated that the relevant version of the material had a positive effect on the pre-instructional motivation for personal commitment. Such an effect, however, was not found on the acquisition of the skill and on attitude formation favoring practical use of the ARCS model. The hypothesized path model was not found to fit the data in this study. Among the variables in the path model, a positive relationship was found between the level of skill acquisition and favorable feeling toward the learned model. In contrast, the level of skill acquistion was not related to the behavioral intentions in a statistically reliable manner. Some alternatives to the hypothesized model were identified, although the specification of these models needs to be supported by future research. Results are discussed in light of the hypotheses, as well as theoretical frameworks so that the hypothesized model may be confirmed, or revised, in future research. Implications for instructional design practices are also discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-02, Section: A, page: 0348. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

This study compared the relative effects of inserted questions and note taking on the recall of relevant and incidental information from written text material. A 3 x 2 factorial design (treatment group x reading comprehension level) was used. Subjects (N = 141) were randomly assigned to three groups: (a) postquestion/review; (b) note taking/review; or (c) mental review. / It was hypothesized that (a) subjects in the postquestion/review group would recall more relevant information than subjects in the note taking/review group and (b) subjects in the note taking/review group would recall more incidental information than subjects in the postquestion/review group. / Two research questions were also addressed: (1) Is there any interaction between treatment group and subject's reading comprehension level for the recall of relevant and/or incidental information? (2) For the postquestion/review group, is there any correlation between subject's performance on the postquestions and subject's performance on the posttest? / The first hypothesis was confirmed. Subjects in the postquestion/review group recalled significantly more relevant information than subjects in the note taking/review group. The results of the statistical analyses for all other variables were not significant. / Conclusions were drawn and recommendations for future research were suggested. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: A, page: 0607. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

Response to intervention (RTI), an educational reform effort designed to meet the needs of struggling learners, has been adopted by an increasing number of states as a primary component of their educational service delivery model for low-achieving students (Burns et al., 2013; Castillo & Batsche, 2012). RTI models are multi-tiered instructional systems that allow for increasingly intensive interventions depending on the individual student’s need or response to instruction as indicated by data-based progress monitoring (Fletcher & Vaughn, 2009). Because RTI programs require large-scale paradigm change and multi-disciplinary coordination at many levels of a school and district, some educators are skeptical that RTI can be implemented with fidelity and produce the desired outcomes. Schools that have successfully implemented RTI in a highly effective manner can serve as exemplars for others who are attempting to implement, improve, or refine their programs. The purpose of this proposed study is to examine the systemic factors related to the successful implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) programs. The study proposed herein is presented from a systems theory perspective, which attempts to understand how the parts of an organization interact and influence each other and contribute to the overall performance of the system (Patton, 2002). Additionally, the emerging field of implementation science provides a useful framework for studying the transition of RTI from a research-based concept to applied practice (Forman et al., 2013). Using the National Implementation Research Network framework (Fixsen et al., 2005, 2009, 2010) as an organizational structure, this study will explore the system level factors related to successful RTI implementation in elementary schools. Understanding the contextual factors or local ecology of an organization such as a school is important when planning the implementation of large-scale school reform projects (Kratochwill et al., 2012; Patton, 2002). Kratochwill and colleagues (2012) called for an increase in qualitative studies, mixed methods designs, and single-case studies when studying evidence-based practices in schools and human service systems to better understand the local contextual factors related to successful programs. Therefore, in order to understand the unique local factors that have contributed to the successful adoption of RTI in elementary schools, qualitative methods were selected for use in this study. Two qualitative case studies of successful RTI implementation sites at the elementary school level will be investigated. Then, cross-case analysis will search for common systemic themes that influenced the RTI implementation process. It is hoped that this study will identify factors that may contribute to successful RTI implementation in elementary schools. These findings will contribute to the knowledge base regarding barriers and facilitators of evidence-based practices in the public elementary school setting. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 3, 2017. / Implementation Science, Response to Intervention, RTI, School Psychology / Includes bibliographical references. / Angela I. Canto, Professor Directing Dissertation; Diana Rice, University Representative; Frances Prevatt, Committee Member; Alysia Roehrig, Committee Member.

Since its inception nearly three decades ago, the performance profile (PP) technique has undergone several modifications and been employed exclusively in the sport domain. The purpose of this study was to extend the application of the performance profile technique to dance and systematically examine the utility and efficacy of the revised performance profile technique (Gucciardi & Gordon, 2009b) with collegiate dancers on two specific outcomes – self-awareness and behavioral change. The secondary aim was to assess dancer perceptions of the benefits and future use of the revised performance profile technique. Using a RCT design, 44 collegiate dancers were randomly allocated to participate in either a revised PP (experimental; n = 22) condition or a didactic PP (active control; n = 22) condition to examine the pre-post impacts of a single performance profile intervention on the outcome measures. Systematic intervention protocols were developed to guide the implementation of the individually based revised PP and the didactic PP interventions. Results revealed significant differences in the pre-post intervention self-awareness scores between conditions, with a significant increase within the revised PP condition and a decrease within the didactic PP condition. There was no significant difference in pre-post behavior scores between the experimental and active control conditions. Analysis of a brief post-workshop evaluation administered to revised PP participants indicated that dancers felt the intervention provided several benefits and that they were highly likely to use their individual performance profiles again in the future. Applied implications and future directions are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2018. / April 30, 2018. / behavior change, intervention, Performance profiling, self-awareness, sport psychology / Includes bibliographical references. / Graig M. Chow, Professor Directing Dissertation; K. Anders Ericsson, University Representative; Gershon Tenenbaum, Committee Member; Angel Canto, Committee Member.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 32-06, Section: A, page: 3098. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1971.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 31-09, Section: A, page: 4543. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1970.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 32-04, Section: A, page: 1912. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1971.

The purpose in the present study was to examine the effects of hemispheric load on dual and triple task performance and learning. Interference due to hemispheric load was proposed to be a function of the mutual contamination between two patterns of neural activity in the cerebral hemispheres (Kinsbourne & Hicks, 1978). / Hemispheric load was manipulated in the present study by varying verbal and motor tasks known to activate particular cerebral hemispheres. Under dual and triple task conditions, attempts were made to load the left hemisphere, theoretically inducing increased right foot reaction times (RT) and errors. Additionally, it was hypothesized that right and left foot differences would diminish across days due to the formation of inhibitory barriers which would prevent cross-talk. / Right-handed male subjects (N = 12) reacted to one of two auditory tones with either the right foot or left foot (simple and choice RT) under single task conditions. A tracking task (right hand) was added to the RT testing situation to constitute dual task conditions. Triple task conditions involved the additional simultaneous performance of a verbal (counting) task. Subjects performed all conditions over three consecutive days. / Results of the RT analysis confirmed a general learning effect and a task complexity effect but did not corroborate the hypothesized differences between left and right foot RT's. Error data analysis, however, revealed significant left and right foot differences, in addition to the general learning and task complexity effects. Right foot errors were in the majority under dual and triple task conditions. Furthermore, right and left foot differences decreased across days according to learning predictions. Thus, interference appeared to be a function of hemispheric load, seemingly reflecting increased conflict between patterns of neural activity in the cerebral hemispheres. The results supported the theoretical tenets proposed by Kinsbourne and Hicks. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-11, Section: A, page: 3547. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

This study investigated the effects of macrosignals, readability level, and training in a reading strategy on 241 high school students' comprehension and recall of a reading passage. / Half of the students studied a reading strategy that uses macrosignals to enhance comprehension and aid recall. The remaining participants received instruction on conversions in the metric system. / One week after the instruction, the students read one of four versions of the experimental reading passage about the Stone Ages: high readability/with macrosignals, high readability/without macrosignals, low readability/with macrosignals, low readability/without macrosignals. / The with-macrosignals versions included title, headings and subheadings, topic sentences, prequestions, introduction, and summaries. The without macrosignals versions included none of these textual cues. The high readability version was written at twelfth grade level according to the Fry Readability Graph. The low readability version, with shorter sentences and simpler vocabulary, was written at the sixth grade level. / After the 30-minute period allowed for reading the passage, the students responded to the "Ease of Reading Scale" on which they reported symptoms of comprehension and lack of comprehension. Then the students answered twenty multiple-choice, paraphrased comprehension questions. One week later the students completed a free recall test. / A multiple regression analysis revealed no interactions between treatments or between treatments and reading abilities. The analysis also indicated that the macrosignals and training in the reading strategy had no significant effects on comprehension, recall or reported ease in reading. Readability level did not have a significant effect on comprehension or recall. Readability level did have a statistically significant, but not practically important, effect on student's reported reading ease. / Macrosignals may have failed to have an effect because students possessed enough prior knowledge and necessary schemata to construct the relationship between their existing knowledge and the details of the passage. The high readability level may not have been sufficiently above the average student's reading ability to have the predicted effects. The instructional treatment may not have been practiced sufficiently to have the predicted facilitating effects. / The attribute variables (prior knowledge and reading ability) had the greatest influence on comprehension scores, an intermediate effect on delayed recall scores, and the least influence on students' reported ease in reading. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-12, Section: A, page: 3854. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

This study was an investigation into the ways that African college students prefer to process information. / The questions this study sought to answer were: (1) What are the predominant learning styles of African college students; (2) What differences exist in those who have chosen theological studies as opposed to those who have not; and (3) What differences exist between East and West Africans? / In order to investigate these questions, research was done on location in two African countries: Nigeria in West Africa, and Kenya in East Africa. Two instruments were used for the testing. These were Witkin's Group Embedded Figures Test, and the Cognitive Style Inventory for African Students, adapted from Hill. These instruments were administered at three institutions in Nigeria and four institutions in Kenya to a total of 205 students. / The concept of field independence/dependence, referring to preferred learning style, was used as part of the framework for this inquiry. The instruments revealed 100% of the subjects in Nigeria, and 84% of those in Kenya to be field dependent. On a continuum of field dependence/field independence the theological students were shown to be more field dependent than non-theological students, and arts students in non-theological schools more field dependent than the science students. / On the Cognitive Style Inventory for African Students it was shown that theological students and non-theological students were very similar in their preferred learning modes. The majority of students were shown to prefer visual and tactile modes of learning rather than auditory. They had high personal acceptance and could handle inductive or deductive reasoning equally well. On this instrument, there were few differences between East and West African students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-11, Section: A, page: 3304. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.