Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2008. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: A, page: 4254. Adviser: Dorothy Espelage. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-85) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

Thesis (Psy.D.)--Fairleigh Dickinson University, 2001. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-03, Section: B, page: 1562. Chairperson: Linda Reddy. Available also in print.

<p> The history of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) is visited in this dissertation, as well as different types of equestrian therapy programs that are being used in a variety of settings. Although there is limited research available regarding these types of studies, the research that does exist promotes an awareness and need for different therapeutic treatments, while acknowledging and promoting the benefits of equestrian psychotherapy. The purpose of this applied research study was to develop a proposed EAP school-based intervention program designed to work as a collaborative therapeutic program, using mental health workers, school personnel, and other paraprofessionals, working with children with emotional and behavioral disorders, in rural community public school settings. An evaluation of the program's efficacy by validity judges concluded that this program is potentially effective for working with these populations in this setting.</p>

<p> Abstract not available.</p>

<p> Studies have shown that when students are engaged, learning increases. This research paper examines the perceptions of a Midwest university faculty's perceptions about student engagement in the classroom. Using qualitative methodology, interviews were conducted with faculty who are currently college classroom teachers, providing rich data to further examine the concept of student engagement. The following questions were asked with responses from the perspective of the college professor: what is student engagement, how does personal experience influence the way teachers perceive student engagement, and how do traditional classrooms influence engagement? The theory of symbolic interactionism and dramaturgy were used to gain perspective into professors' perceptions of student engagement, demonstrating how the traditional education received by present-day teachers has influenced their perceptions of student engagement in their classrooms (Sterling 2001; Bain 2004; Barkley 2010; Kuh et al. 2010; Thoms 2010).</p>

<p> A critical component of teaching social skills to people with autism is the generalization of behavior change across a variety of untrained situations during which social skills are appropriate. The script-fading procedure is an effective technology for teaching social skills to people with autism, but few researchers have established cues in the natural environment as the discriminative stimuli for social initiations. The purpose of this study was to use a script-fading procedure to teach young children with autism to initiate to one another across various activities in the school setting, and to program for generalization across untrained stimuli in the school setting and in the untrained home setting with a sibling. The three participants, ages 7 to 10 years, demonstrated deficits in social initiations with their peers. During the baseline condition, the participants did emit initiations to one another, although this behavior was variable and did not endure over time. With the introduction of the script-fading procedure, however, social initiations increased systematically for all participants. Moreover, the data demonstrated that the effects of the script-fading procedure generalized across untrained stimuli, responses, and to an untrained setting with an untrained conversation partner. Overall, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of the script-fading procedure in teaching children with autism to initiate to their peers. This study has expanded upon previous research by demonstrating generalization from school with peers to the home setting with siblings, and by providing social validity data obtained through outside observers that support the effectiveness of the script-fading procedure in producing an important behavior change.</p>

<p> The cultural capital of first generation community college students is crucial to their college persistence. Research that underscores cultural wealth is often overlooked in higher education research. Contrary to a deficit oriented approach that focuses mainly on <i>what</i> first-generation students' lack, this study concentrated on the strengths, knowledge, abilities, and skills students possess to succeed in college. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of family, institutions, and people in helping first-generation students use and build cultural capital to meet their personal, career, and academic goals. A convenient sample of 15 first-generation student participants and 1 advisor from a southern California community college was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed. Transcript analysis produced 5 major themes: (a) Pushing Agents, (b) Accountability Promotes Student Persistence, (c) Career Aspirations, and (d) Pivotal Programs and People in High School. The most salient finding, <i>Pushing Agents </i> detailed the far-reaching affect that family, institutions, and people had on the participants' higher education experience. Pushing agents were a positive factor that frequently, constantly, and intimately pushed participants to carry out their aspirations. In conclusion, participant interviews revealed numerous strengths, assets, and abilities that allowed them to accomplish their personal, career, and academic goals.</p>

<p> Proficiency in language arts and communication skills is essential to success in the global workforce. Most states assess students in language arts literacy (LAL) through standardized tests that assess a student's ability to read, interpret literature, and write expressively. Although educational reformers strive to improve the foundations that prepare students in literacy, reforms have not fully incorporated the theory of emotional intelligence (EI), which explains a student's ability to use, understand, perceive, and manage their emotions in order to think critically, make decisions, and solve problems. Although it is not known whether EI directly correlates to literacy, emotional skills are an integral part of literacy, linguistics, and overall cognition. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether a correlation existed between EIQ (measured by the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test), and LAL (measured by the High School Proficiency Assessment) in literacy, for secondary students. The multiple regression model included 2 control variables: gender and grade point average. The findings of the primary analysis demonstrated positive correlations between EIQ and LAL scores. Upon further analysis, the relationship between EIQ and LAL remained positively significant in the regression model. Emotional intelligence, and associated improved literacy skills, may positively influence social change by helping secondary students to develop a broader repertoire of skills necessary for communication and problem solving later in life.</p>

<p> The need related behavioral dynamics that are revealed in self-determination and academic motivation research control factors which pinpoint and examine settings that facilitate self-motivation and well-being. This study examined differences in motivational and self-determination behaviors among three ethnic groups of Nigerian university students using a sample of students attending the University of Ibadan. The research continues the dialogue of the role of ethnicity in the motivational and self-determination behaviors by focusing on Nigerian students. Lastly, the study expands the current literature on motivation and self-determination by adding a study focusing on Nigerian students. Twenty-one hypotheses were tested to answer five research questions in the study. The research questions addressed whether significant statistical differences existed in academic motivation scores of Nigerian students based on their ethnicities or whether the parents' level of education affected the students' motivation, or self-determination. The questions also explored any statistical differences in self-determination of students based on their ethnicities or if there were differences between self-determination and gender, scholarship status, or number of children. Lastly, the questions addressed if there were differences in the type of prerequisites for entry to University of Ibadan. There were no statistically significant differences in means of the three broad types of academic motivation and perceived choice scores on the SDS based on ethnicity, parents' level of education, gender, scholarship status, number of children each participant had, and the kind of entry examinations that were taken. There were statistically significant differences in the mean of awareness of self scores based on parents' level of education and scholarship status. There was also a statistically significant difference in the mean perceived choice scores on the SDS based on the number of children each participant had. There were no statistically significant differences based on students' prerequisites.</p>

<p>ABSTRACT Autism is a complex brain-based developmental disability with unknown etiology. It involves disturbances or delays in communication, social interaction, and play, as well as behavioral abnormalities including; obsessive, ritualistic, rigid, and/or stereotyped behavior. The disorder affects 1 in 68 individuals nationwide. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is recognized by the medical community as the best practice approach to treating autism. Early, intensive, ABA treatment has been attributed to the widespread opinion that autism is now a treatable condition. The effectiveness of ABA, combined with the increasing incidence of autism, has resulted in a high demand for well-trained professionals who are able to effectively work with individuals with this diagnosis. Training programs are not producing ABA trained personnel at a rate that can meet the demand for services. Given the efficiencies which may be realized with online instruction, this study examined a blended approach to training staff by combining online professional training modules with classroom and field based instruction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the efficacy of online instruction in ABA training models. A repeated measures design with the use of a control group was used to evaluate online instruction and compare its efficacy to that of live lecture or classroom based instruction. Results revealed a statistically significant difference in the level of training content learned and retained between the online group and the live lecture group. These results seem to suggest that something other than chance resulted in the online group scoring significantly higher than members in the live lecture group and that the online mode of instruction may have some merits that can be of value to address the demand for highly trained professionals to work in the autism field.