Active parental involvement in the special education process has historically been emphasized. In addition, legal impetus (94-142, 766) has been provided for this active involvement. However, research has indicated that some educators tend to disregard, manipulate, and often intimidate parents during special education TEAM meetings, thus violating their due process rights. As a result, parental involvement in the Team process and development of the IEP document has continued to be lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate parental attitudes toward the Team process and the IEP document and to implement a training program designed to assist parents in the development of the skills necessary to critically analyze their child's IEP document's effectiveness. The underlying theory behind the training program was, that given the appropriate training and information, parental skills to effectively participate in the Team meeting and development of the IEP document would increase. A group of 15 parents from the central Massachusetts area participated in this study. Their experiences within Special Education ranged from 3 months to 11 years. Severity of the handicapping conditions of their children ranged from speech/language services to full time special education. A pre/post test design was utilized to evaluate parental perception of the Team process and IEP evaluative skills. Based on the data gleaned from this research, the following has been concluded: (1) in spite of 17 years of mandated involvement in the Team process and development of the IEP document at the Team level, the parents; (a) view the child's IEP as not being the product of the entire Team's input, and (b) indicated that they did not participate in the development of the document. In regards to qualitative effectiveness of the IEP, it was determined that: (1) the student profile section; (a) did not contain all of the mandated information, and (b) was not concisely written. In addition, other information (teaching strategies, service delivery and plan duration) was not contained within. In spite of their passive roles, the parents generally expressed satisfaction with their child's program and IEP document. The need for parent training and professional staff development was cited.

Education can be an important tool of social transformation by empowering, organizing, and leading poor Third World women into the process of social transformation as agents of change. However, a review of the literature and interviews with those involved in nonformal education programs reveal that formal education and most nonformal education do not fulfill this purpose. Though radical change-oriented nonformal education may increase poor Third World women's critical consciousness as poor Third World people, it does not do so for them as women. A close examination of the literature on the theory of critical pedagogy, on which these radical change-oriented nonformal education programs are based, demonstrates that critical pedagogy itself fails to deal seriously with gender issues. In an effort to complement critical pedagogy, the author attempts to conceptualize critical feminist pedagogy by integrating feminist elements and vision developed by feminist pedagogy into critical pedagogy. This initial conceptualization of critical feminist pedagogy still requires more thought and development. Nevertheless, it may provide poor Third World women with a better theoretical framework for their education by addressing class, nationality, and gender issues with equal seriousness. Further, it may contribute to a better theoretical tool for social transformation. The author's personal experience with Minjung Kyoyuk (a Korean version of popular education) and a review of the literature reveal that, although an important vehicle for a popular movement, Minjung Kyoyuk is still very much male-oriented and needs modification to be a more proper form of education for poor Korean women. The application of critical feminist pedagogy as an analytical framework to Minjung Kyoyuk helps uncover the problems of Minjung Kyoyuk in addressing poor women's issues in detail and show ways to make Minjung Kyoyuk a better tool of social transformation.

The purpose of this study was to determine if elders are alienated toward public education and, if so, what is the present impact of their alienation on the public education system? Data obtained from the older adult population of the town of Winthrop, Massachusetts was analyzed. Three major objectives were incorporated into the survey. The first objective was to measure older adults' beliefs toward public education. The second objective was to apply that measure in order to identify patterns of beliefs, and any differentiations within patterns, which might exist according to groups of older adults. The third objective was to attempt to provide a clearer understanding of older adult attitudes toward public education, thereby allowing public educators the opportunity to serve the needs of older adults in a more effective, expedient and expanded manner. A sample of 120 older adults was surveyed using a 26 item instrument--The Older Adult Participation in Public School Education Assessment Survey--developed by the investigator. The initial section of this instrument gathered specific demographic data. This data provided independent variables which were utilized in the analysis of pertinent information. The second section of this instrument reflected older adults' attitudes toward public education.

No description available.

Continuing education programs are successful only to the extent that the recommended practice or behavior is implemented. Previous research has demonstrated that some programs result in behavior change and others fail to do so. A conceptual framework developed by Cervero links behavior change to continuing professional education. This descriptive correlational study examined factors related to implementation of knowledge gained from a continuing professional educational offering into practice among registered nurses. One questionnaire on the motivation of the individual professional was given prior to the continuing professional educational offering and three other questionnaires eliciting the participants perception of the social system, nature of the change and the continuing educational offering was given upon completion of the class. Two months following the offering a self-report evaluation, a Likert scale instrument and an open-ended questionnaire, was completed by the participants to measure the change in behavior after the learning experience. Demographic data of the participants was also correlated with nursing behavior. The rights of the participants were protected at all times. Participants were asked to participate on a strictly voluntary basis. Findings of the study indicated that the variables of the individual professional, the continuing educational offering, the nature of the change and social system did not statistically correlate with the outcome variable of behavior change. However, the responses to the open ended questionnaire contradicted the statistical findings. Participants articulated numerous ways in which their nursing practice had changed as a result of their continuing education experience. Conclusions of the study were that there is no statistically significant relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable of behavior change, but that qualitative data indicated that change in nursing practice did occur following the continuing professional education offering. Implications from the study indicate that the process of continuing professional education is complex with multiple variables. There is a need for further research to delineate the influence of these variables on behavior change in nursing practice. Then, those planning educational offerings could work effectively with their clientele to more dramatically improve health care and client outcomes. / School of Nursing

The purpose of this study was to survey selected existing facilities and to develop guidelines for planning facilities for the adult learner. The following subproblems were identified in order to adequately treat the problem: (1) To describe selected facilities for the adult learner; (2) To identify those elements considered essential, highly desirable, and significant in planning a facility for the adult learner. Four research questions were considered to be relevant to this study: (1) What were the most prevalent needs of the adult learner? (2) What facilities for the adult learner are in existence now? (3) What recommendations are given for planning a facility for the adult learner? (4) Will the total responses obtained by on-site visitations be consistent with the total responses of the mailed questionnaire? Through the review of literature, a list of thirty selected existing facilities was compiled. The participants in the study were limited to twelve randomly selected facilities for the adult learner. In addition, three selected facilities were visited. A questionnaire was developed and field tested to assess those guideline elements considered essential, highly desirable, and significant in planning facilities for the adult learner. A total of thirteen sources responded to the questionnaire. Three directors of facilities where on-site visitations were conducted participated in the study. Ten directors of facilities for the adult learner in various geographical locations in the United States participated in the study. From the analysis of the data from the questionnaire responses, ninety-six elements were found to be essential, highly desirable, or significant. These elements were arrayed from essential through significant and presented as guidelines for developing facilities for the adult learner. Recommendations based on the findings were given.

The purpose of this study was to survey selected existing facilities and to develop guidelines for planning facilities for the adult learner. The following subproblems were identified in order to adequately treat the problem: (1) To describe selected facilities for the adult learner; (2) To identify those elements considered essential, highly desirable, and significant in planning a facility for the adult learner. Four research questions were considered to be relevant to this study: (1) What were the most prevalent needs of the adult learner? (2) What facilities for the adult learner are in existence now? (3) What recommendations are given for planning a facility for the adult learner? (4) Will the total responses obtained by on-site visitations be consistent with the total responses of the mailed questionnaire? Through the review of literature, a list of thirty selected existing facilities was compiled. The participants in the study were limited to twelve randomly selected facilities for the adult learner. In addition, three selected facilities were visited. A questionnaire was developed and field tested to assess those guideline elements considered essential, highly desirable, and significant in planning facilities for the adult learner. A total of thirteen sources responded to the questionnaire. Three directors of facilities where on-site visitations were conducted participated in the study. Ten directors of facilities for the adult learner in various geographical locations in the United States participated in the study. From the analysis of the data from the questionnaire responses, ninety-six elements were found to be essential, highly desirable, or significant. These elements were arrayed from essential through significant and presented as guidelines for developing facilities for the adult learner. Recommendations based on the findings were given.

The problem of this study was that no data existed on characteristics of life style management as related to persisters and dropouts among adult high school students in the state of Tennessee. The purpose of the study was to determine the characteristic life style approaches most prevalent among persistent enrollees, graduates, and dropouts of selected adult high school programs in Tennessee. Five hundred fifty-nine persisters and 868 dropouts were surveyed by mail, by telephone, or by school site visits. There were 419 participants in the study, 311 persisters and 108 dropouts. The research was descriptive in nature and utilized data gathered from a survey instrument entitled, Life Style Approaches (LSA) Scale. The instrument was developed by Williams and Long (1991) based on a collection of self-management strategies. Six self-management strategies were identified in the 22 item instrument, and respondents were asked to report to what degree each item was or was not similar to their life styles. The instrument was piloted on 50 adult high school students in Hamblen and Greene Counties who were not in the study sample. Pilot results indicated that reading and comprehension levels were adequate for the students surveyed. Findings were divided into two categories, demographics and the findings as a result of hypothesis testing. Seventy-three percent of respondents were born after 1960, 88% were Caucasian, and 52% lacked one year or less to graduate. An equal number were married and single, and 55% were employed. Incomes of respondents ranged from less than $5,000 to \$40,000; however, 31% of them earned less than $5,000. With regard to hypothesis testing, no significant differences were found between dropouts and persisters in the demographic areas of age gender, race, marital status, or occupational status. There was a significant difference between dropouts and persisters in the number of years needed to graduate. Of the self-management practices (performance focus and efficiency, goal directedness, timeliness of task accomplishment, organization of physical space, written plans for change, and verbal support for self-management), only performance focus and efficiency was found to be significantly different between dropouts and persisters. The performance focus and efficiency factor is closely related to self-efficacy, and persisters had a greater degree of self-efficacy than did the dropouts reported in this study.

The problem of this study was to determine the growth and development of the community education program in North Carolina and to determine if this development was reflected by public awareness and response to the program. In reviewing the literature and searching manuals of survey instruments, a questionnaire was not found which would answer the specific questions necessary for the study. A questionnaire was designed and field tested utilizing graduate students and participants in a community education workshop sponsored by National Center for Community Education from Flint, Michigan. The validation was completed by leading authorities in the field of community education and community schools. Demographic data and information for comparing the program at the present time to the second year after the program was established by the North Carolina Legislature in 1977 were collected. The 11 hypotheses were stated in null format. The comparison data pertained to numbers of programs, numbers of participants, numbers of full-time and part-time director/coordinators, utilization of volunteers, recruiting of instructors, efficiency of the advisory committees, and developing of public awareness. The information requested in the demographic survey included the age, sex, formal preparation, initial certification, length of time employed in current position, type of community being served, and the percent of work time given to community education task. They were also asked to list responsibilities and, if hired part-time, to give their title in the public school system. All director/coordinators in North Carolina were included in the study and were surveyed for pertinent information. A 73% return was obtained. The analyses of those data were presented in both tabular and narrative form.

Dyslexia is a learning disability that hinders a person's ability to process elements of reading and writing. Although younger students with dyslexia often receive remedial education and accommodations, dyslexic college students may not receive assistance targeted to their individual needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to ascertain the challenges that might impede the academic success of college students with dyslexia and identify strategies used by academically successful dyslexic students at a 2-year college. Knowles's theory of informal adult education and self-direction provided the conceptual framework for the study. Using a case study design, 10 current college students who had a diagnosis of dyslexia with documentation on file at the college's student support center and a minimum 3.0-grade point average were purposefully selected to participate. Data from semi-structured interviews and reflective field notes were analyzed using open coding to develop themes. Eight themes emerged related to Knowles' constructs; 4 as challenges (accelerated pace, communication, time management, and concentration) and 4 as strategies to improve educational outcomes (technical assistance, organization, support, and modification). A workshop and mentoring program were developed to provide academic support for college students with dyslexia, highlighting those areas that dyslexic students identified as challenging. Continued research on the educational needs of older students with dyslexia was recommended. Targeted interventions for students with dyslexia may result in a positive social change by helping them achieve a higher education degree and become successful members of their communities.