The purposes of this study were to ascertain and categorize the benefits of GED graduation as reported by recent Indiana GED graduates, and to produce a report on these benefits for local adult educators to use in their ongoing counseling and teaching of current and future Indiana adult learners who are preparing to take the GED tests. An additional purpose was to provide demographic data on the population being studied to local, state, and national systems which can benefit from having research data on what types of individuals tend to use TV to prepare for GED tests.Data collection involved the administration of a sixty-five item questionnaire developed for the study, utilizing questionnaire items from three previous studies of GED benefits conducted in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Iowa. The questionnaire was mailed to 1,172 GED recipients who received their credentials during 1990-91 school year through the GED ON TV Program administered by the LEARN AT HOME Division of the Muncie Community Schools Adult Education Department. Responses were received from 294 respondents to the initial and follow-up mailings, which accounted for an adjusted response rate of 30.3%. The average age of the respondents was 44.6 years. The respondents were 81.6% female and 91.5% Caucasian-American.Analysis of the data was performed utilizing simple descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and means, to determine demographic characteristics and benefits perceived by the population. Benefits were empirically reduced by factor analysis, utilizing oblique rotation, into smaller groups of factors of benefit.The findings indicated that there were significant benefits, both tangible and intangible, to be attained by successfully passing the GED Test. The tangible benefits were further education, self-improvement, occupational advancement, and GED participation of others. The intangible benefits were empowerment, improved self-image, higher aspirations, and personal satisfaction. Although the findings of this study confirmed many of the findings of previous studies of GED graduates in other geographical areas of the United States, three types of benefits were newly identified: self-improvement, empowerment, and personal satisfaction. / Department of Educational Leadership

The research study had three purposes for examining community leadership programs. First, the study described the status of community leadership programs in Indiana. Second, the study compared current data with data collected by Lynch in 1987. This comparison identified trends and changes in planning, administering, and evaluating community leadership programs. Third, the study included a search of literature and an analysis of data which confirmed theoretical and practical linkages between the community leadership, adult education, and community education domains.The study was initiated with a telephone investigation to identify 50 community leadership programs in the state. A questionnaire was then mailed to program directors. The instrument, an expanded version of Lynch's 1987 questionnaire, collected data about program staff, budgets, curricula, participants, alumni, and evaluation. Forty-seven program directors responded by mail and three by telephone.Final data, which provided a profile of the 50 programs, were collated and published as a directory of Indiana community leadership programs. Data showed 43 programs were active, two were inactive, two were pilot programs in 1990 and 1991, and 15 were newly organized in 1990.Analysis revealed several changes and trends which occurred in the three years between 1987 and 1990. The most notable change in the three years between 1987 and 1990 was the 100% increase in the number of programs (from 25 to 50). Two significant trends were seen in the increase of programs in smaller communities (under 50,000 population), as well as, a shift in curriculum emphasis from community orientation toward community trusteeship.Data analysis also indicated that community leadership programs embodied the values of social responsibility and community action espoused by adult education and community education fields. Although no collaboration was noted with local community education programs, many community leadership programs had partnerships with adult education providers.This study concluded that economic pressures on, and an increasing sense of social responsibility within communities appeared to contribute to the popularity of community leadership programs. This study suggested further research: (a) designing more effective ways to assist community leadership program directors, and (b) identifying more effective models and procedures for cooperation between community education and leadership development programs. / School of Continuing Education and Public Service