In an attempt to help developmentally young children experience success, many schools have established developmental kindergarten programs. An ex post facto study of a developmental kindergarten program in a Florida elementary school examined 598 student records covering five school years. Overall kindergarten retention rates before and after the implementation of the developmental kindergarten program were compared. Entry age, gender, and class size as factors in retention were also analyzed. A comparison of the entry age, gender, and kindergarten retentions before and after implementation of developmental kindergarten was also undertaken. Results of chi-square analyses showed no significant effects upon kindergarten retentions attributed to developmental kindergarten. The developmental kindergarten class, as implemented, had not significantly reduced overall retention rates for kindergarten students. Nor had it significantly reduced retention rates of at-risk students.

Few studies have investigated how race and ethnicity influence people's beliefs about rape, or what impact these beliefs have on what and how we teach college students in efforts to raise awareness about rape. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of how students of color perceive the cultural relevance of materials commonly used on campuses for rape risk reduction education. Participants were African American and Hispanic students at a mid-sized state university. Focus group sessions and interviews were conducted with 23 student participants. Students reported that they found the rape risk reduction materials culturally relevant; however, other revisions of the materials were necessary if the materials were to connect with students. Data analysis, based on the construction of grounded theory and the use of educational criticism, revealed three recurring themes-the influence of popular culture on student perceptions of social situations, the role of racial and ethnic identity development within a global context, and developmental influences on students' ways of constructing knowledge. Therefore, rape risk reduction efforts must be culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate, and take into consideration the influence of popular culture in order to connect with students.

This research was a descriptive cross-site case study of organizational structures of public workforce education institutions in the states of Florida, Georgia, and Kentucky. Organizational structures in public workforce education institutions can be found in four basic designs: technical centers, technical colleges, community colleges, and community and technical colleges. The purpose of this study was to investigate the concept of organizational structure in terms of the operation and effectiveness of workforce education institutions by studying four workforce institutions operating under differing arrangements. This study investigated the following research questions: 1. Does organizational structure influence specific outcome factors for and between selected workforce education institutions? 2. Does organizational structure influence the processes and operations of workforce education institutions as reflected through a comparative policy analysis of the selected workforce education institutions? The study was conducted as a cross-site analysis of case studies of the selected schools to develop justified patterns of successful factors among schools. Data were collected during semi-structured interviews by audiotape recording and then transcribed. After making site visits to each school both qualitative interview data and quantitative program and institutional data were used for analysis of factors and characteristics that were linked to success by the school. Upon the completion of the four case studies, a comparative analysis was performed to discover the relationships among the participating schools through their commonalities and differences. Each of these organizational structures provided evidence of the production of successful graduates from their workforce programs. Although differences existed in the student completion rates and enrollment to completion ratio for the selected schools, every school had effectively placed their students in training-related jobs after program completion. As opposed to the individual institutions, the four organizational structures are a reflection of equifinality in that each structure is organized, governed, funded, and operated differently, and yet they each produce graduates who can successfully occupy technical career positions in the workforce. These schools have successfully developed the ability to be organizationally adaptable in order to sustain their existence. The study discovered that organizational structure may not be the central factor to determine the success or failure of an institution. But organizational structure should not be ignored for it does appear that institutions devoted only to workforce goals have a history of greater student completion. The study also produced the following six recommended practices for inclusion in all organizational structures. Public workforce institutions should have a dedicated local governing board; state level governance; integral participation in the state's economic development effort; precise program delivery processes; required strategic planning; and a supportive state legislature educated about the needs of workforce education.

This curriculum project reviews what the current literature reveals about the meaning of modality, what we know about modality strengths, matching student modality to teacher modality, as well as research studies related to modality-based instruction. The curriculum developed by the author is specifically designed for first grade teachers to use in correlation with the Ginn Level Two basal reader, Pocketful of Sunshine. The curriculum includes activities on how to introduce the objectives found in Pocketful of Sunshine to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. It also includes activities of reinforcement for all types of learners. The curriculum was submitted to two professors at the University of North Florida and two first grade teachers in Duval County to rate according to professional quality , usability and effectiveness. Results of the rating scale indicated this curriculum to be of professional quality, very organized, complete, easy to use and correlated well with the Ginn Level Two basal reader, Pocketful of Sunshine. Recommendations suggested that teachers would be more likely to use this curriculum if they had inservice training on modality-based instruction.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in the achievement levels of second grade students when twenty-one students experienced instruction on the bio-ecosystems where the learning activities were primarily outdoors along a nature trail and a comparable group of twenty-three students experienced instruction on the same bio-ecosystems where the learning activities were located indoors. An emphasis on literature approach was utilized to teach a set of sixteen objectives centering around an environmental theme. Each group received instruction for-45 minutes daily for a period of three weeks and experienced equivalent "hands-on" learning activities.A gain score was determined by computing the difference between each student's pre-test and post-test achievement raw scores. A t test score of 1.31 resulted and it was concluded that there was no significant difference in achievement levels of a group of comparable students receiving instruction on bio-ecosystems outdoors and a group of students experiencing the same instructions indoors.

We are living in an information based society that has resulted in the availability of new technology for use by students and teachers. The video camera is an ideal tool for disseminating information and teaching skills; it is easy to use, produces immediate results and feedback, and catches the students' attention in an instant. Yet, many teachers shy away from incorporating the video camera as a part of their classroom curriculum. Some are wary of the camera itself. Others fail to see its potential as a part of their classroom curriculum since there are already many skills to be taught during the school day. Child-created video has value as a part of the curriculum. Therefore, support in the form of a manual written for teachers will make the video camera user-friendly for both teachers and their students. Child-created video can become an integral part of the classroom curriculum. Since there are no prerequisite skills to film making (Cox, 1983), it is appropriate for all age levels. This project resulted in the production of a manual designed for use by teachers and their students in the Duval County (Florida) School System. The manual gives sequential instructions for the planning and production of a child-created video production. Activities that enhance camera skills and visual techniques are included. The manual was evaluated by teachers and personnel familiar with classroom video production techniques who then made recommendations as to it's usefulness as a guide for teachers.

As present trends in education indicate, learning with technology is increasingly being considered as a means of instructional delivery for K-1 2 learners. Educational leaders must be informed of how to provide the experiences, skills, and knowledge required of the learners for whom they are responsible. This qualitative study examined the conceptualization of a school district's attempt to design and implement a high-computer-access (HCA) program. Research methodologies included interview, observation, and analysis of related documents. The results comprised the thinking of the HCA program designers and how they viewed learning theory and effective instruction principles in relationship to the HCA environments they were creating. The findings from this study indicated that designing and implementing an HCA program into a school district involves several issues. These issues were organized into the following themes: (a) goals and assumptions; (b) appropriation; (c) transformative teaching; (d) child-centered instruction; and (e) logistics. The goals and assumptions theme addressed the participants' thinking about the organization's and the designers' goals that evolved during the design phase. The appropriations theme encompassed the use of computer as a learning and teaching tool. Reported changes in instructional planning and delivery are represented in the transformative teaching theme. The child-centered instruction theme resulted from participants' numerous references to learning theory. The fifth theme, logistics, included the procurement, maintenance, and knowledge acquisition inherent in HCA environments. Further investigation of these themes may assist educational leaders who would choose to implement HCA environments into their schools.

Green Cove Springs Elementary School is located in a rural community and has a population of approximately five hundred and fifty fourth and fifth grade students. The classes are mostly self-contained, except for some grouping in reading and mathematics. There is one resource specialist in physical education who sees each class every day and one music resource specialist who sees each class twice a week and has classes in recorder and guitar.In a survey taken last year of parents and teachers, respondents were asked to rank many areas of the curriculum in order of importance. When the results came in, music was next to last on the list. Whether or not it is correct to assume that some subject areas have greater importance than others, the results of the survey were disturbing in that they indicated that the respondents felt music and the other arts were not as important as other areas of the curriculum.Although a few students show growth in their knowledge of the musical content taught, the majority not only fail to acquire musical concepts, but also become bored and frustrated and begin to have negative attitudes towards music.The purpose of this project was to increase elementary students' understanding and knowledge of musical concepts and skills through a curriculum of music activities related to the language arts and mathematics. The program was implemented jointly by the classroom teacher and the music resource specialist. It was expected that the implementation of this project would provide elementary students more opportunities to experience success in learning musical, mathematics, and language arts content through more frequent music activities.The objectives for the project were threefold. First, for the students to show cognitive growth in musical content and maintain a positive attitude toward music study. Secondly, to demonstrate the part the music specialists play in reinforcing language arts and mathematics skills. Thirdly, to provide a means for the classroom teacher to become involved in the students' music instruction and increase the teachers' understanding and appreciation of the value of music in the curriculum.Classroom teachers were chosen to participate with the music resource specialist in the program to allow more frequent music experiences for the students than are possible when the music resource specialist is totally responsible for all music instruction. The portion of the curriculum for the classroom teacher consisted of prepared lessons with activities that require little musical background. This was done to gain the cooperation and acceptance of the classroom teacher.

It would appear that examination of student and teacher perceptions of classroom practices might provide information useful in explaining the descrepancies among what teachers think they are doing and what the students see them doing, the achievement and attainment levels of the student, and the application of process oriented science and traditional textbook science. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to determine if a discrepancy exist between student and teacher perceptions of classroom practices in Duval County junior high schools. Specifically, this project attempted to answer the question: Do the perceptions of Advanced Ninth-Grade Biology students in Duval County parallel those of their teachers with respect to the strategies being used, the treatment of text and related materials, the laboratory assignments and the follow-up to them, and the level and kind of overall student and teacher participation in the classroom?

The purpose of this study was to find out if practicing primary teachers use nonverbal communication (NVC) effectively in class management. Eighty University of North Florida graduate students who had taught Kindergarten, first, second or third grade were surveyed during the Summer 1985 Term with a self-reporting questionnaire developed as part of this project. It was found that the majority of these teachers reported that they usually use NYC in their classrooms. It was concluded that they could benefit from strategies and activities to use NYC more effectively and extensively. Since four competencies that beginning teachers need to demonstrate in their intern year can be partially satisfied using NYC, the recommendation is made that more emphasis on NYC be made on the undergraduate and graduate levels in teacher-training classes.