This study surveyed adult male graduate students who returned to higher education after being unenrolled for two years or more. It was designed to determine the reasons these adult men participated in the courses and/or degree programs of a large public institution, Florida State University. Reasons for participation by adults (women separately or women and men together) have been an important research issue for many years as indicated by the work of Boshier (1971, 1977, 1982, 1989), Anderson and Darkenwald (1979), Morstain and Smart (1974, 1977), and Wolfgang and Dowling (1981). / The primary focus of this research was on adult motivational orientations in higher education. Boshier's copyrighted survey instrument, the Education Participation Scale, was used to identify which of the six motivational factors were identified by a useable sample of 353 adult male students from a select population of 1763 reentry adult male graduate students. Of the six factors, Professional Advancement was chosen as the primary motivator by the sample, followed closely by Cognitive Interest. The remaining four, in declining order, were Community Service, External Expectations, Social Stimulation, and Social Contact. These results confirm earlier research on several different adult student populations. / Although some associations were found between the six motivational factors and the demographic data of the sampled men, the data contributed nothing significant to enhance understanding of the motivation behind the participation. This result supports the conclusion by Cookson (1986) that adult educational motivation is such a complex and multifaceted concept that much work needs to be done on this subject. For example, some of the many theoretical models found need to be verified empirically and grounded in the experience of adult students. Such work can be of great value to institutional and academic administrators if a model can identify likely changes in future enrollment patterns. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-03, Section: A, page: 0979. / Major Professor: John S. Waggaman. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1996.

This study was conducted to determine if a worksite health promotion program could affect work stress, fitness, and anxiety among employees at a state institution serving the mentally handicapped. Work stress is becoming a problem as it has been linked to cardiovascular disease, poor morale, and absenteeism. The human service field is a stressful one, especially in the institutional setting where care givers provide 24 hour services and are responsible for the welfare of others. / The subjects of this study were state employees at Landmark Learning Center, in Miami, Florida. A majority were at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to lack of exercise, obesity, and stressful working conditions. A high percentage of employees were black and female, a group considered at high risk for CVD. / Two experimental treatments were employed: exercise and relaxation training. Both have become popular components of worksite health promotion programs. There were ninety subjects divided equally into three groups. Participants volunteered for an exercise group or a relaxation training group. A waiting list was selected from these volunteers to form the control group. / Exercise consisted of aerobic walking. The relaxation training consisted of muscle relaxation. The control group received no treatment. The study used a pre/post experimental design. The following measures were taken: physical fitness (Rockport Walking Test, weight, heart rate, and blood pressure); work stress (Work Stress Inventory); anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). Both treatment groups lasted eight weeks. / All pre/post measures were converted to percent change scores. Analysis consisted of these statistical tests: Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA); Analysis of Variance (ANOVA); and the Duncan Multiple Range Test. Results indicated that the walking group demonstrated significant changes in improved physical fitness and reductions in work stress. The relaxation training group demonstrated reductions in work stress, but they were not statistically significant. The relaxation group demonstrated statistically significant reductions in trait anxiety, while the walking group did not. / Findings revealed that a worksite walking program can reduce work stress and improve physical fitness in a relatively short time. Relaxation training was associated with reduced anxiety levels. These results will be valuable to policy makers, particularly in state government, who can make decisions on the future of worksite health promotion programs. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3590. / Major Professor: Irwin Jahns. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

This study examined the educational orientation of academic bibliographic instruction librarians to identify whether they relate to andragogical or pedagogical statements. The Hadley Educational Orientation Questionnaire (EOQ) and a demographic questionnaire were used to collect data from a random sample of members of the Association of College and Research Libraries' Bibliographic Instruction Section. The data was analyzed using the chi square goodness of fit test. The data was also analyzed to reveal orientations within the six dimensions of the EOQ: Purpose of Education, Nature of Learners, Characteristics of Learning Experience, Management of Learning Experience, Evaluation, and Relationships: Educator/Learner and Among Learners. / As a result of the analysis it was possible to conclude respondents were more andragogic than pedagogic; female respondents were more andragogic than males; years of teaching may have some bearing on orientation; those with Ph.D.s in Library Studies may be more pedagogic in some dimensions than are others but are overall andragogic; those teaching short format courses are more andragogically oriented; those using videos to teach may be more pedagogical; those with any type of education coursework are more andragogic than others; those not currently teaching are more pedagogic; those teaching in institutions with enrollments of 1,001 to 11,000 are more pedagogic; those teaching classes with 16-30 students are more andragogic; and those teaching at institutions with less than 1,000 students or more than 11,000 students are more andragogic. / Based on the findings it was recommended that bibliographic instructors teaching credit courses may need to incorporate andragogical techniques; male bibliographic instructors may need to incorporate more andragogical methods; those planning to be bibliographic instructors to should take some courses in the Education department and, where possible, keeping BI classes in the 16-30 range may promote a more andragogical experience. / Recommendations for further study are also given. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-04, Section: A, page: 1368. / Major Professor: Ronald D. Blazek. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1996.

This study investigated the involvement of re-entry women in learning and in campus life. It sought answers to the following questions: (1) What constitutes "involvement" for returning women? (2) How is their involvement evidenced in behavior and actions? (3) How do they perceive their own involvement in learning? (4) Does their involvement differ from that of traditional students? (5) If it does differ, what implications does that have for institutional policy and practice? / Using Astin's (1985) theory of involvement plus Schlossberg's (1989) and Gilligan's (1982) constructs relating to "mattering" and "the ethic of care" as a conceptual framework, the study examines the responses of the participants to determine the extent to which they reinforce or diverge from the theoretical constructs presented. / This study assumed that "involvement" for returning women would be different from that of traditional students due to the varied roles these women assume and due to their individual life stage circumstances. / The methodological approach selected to conduct this study was naturalistic inquiry. Three in-depth interviews were conducted with seven returning women spanning a seven-month period of time. Participants were selected on the basis of matching individual women students over the age of 25 at The Florida State University with selected profiles of re-entry women as found in the research literature. The study was limited to full-time, upper division undergraduate students who were seeking bachelor's degrees. / The study depicted each individual participant's "story" which was accomplished through "thick description" as advocated by both Geertz (1973) and Lincoln and Guba (1985). It included verbatim translation of the interviews of each participant, field notes and reflective comments by the interviewer, summaries of the data, and "member checks" by the participants themselves to assure accuracy of the final information selected for inclusion in the report. / Then the data was analyzed for common threads or themes that emerged and recommendations were made to institutional planners concerning policy and procedures as they relate to returning women. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 0779. / Major Professor: Joseph Beckham. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

A qualitative case study of the response of the returning adult student (RAS) to university higher education was conducted during the 16-week period of the 1990 Spring semester at Florida State University. The participants in the study were 13 RASs taking a graduate course in statistics. / The investigator observed the participants during 46 class sessions, interviewed each participant five times, and reviewed a set of 28 documents. From the 1,004 pages of data gathered, 249 units of information were compiled and used to develop four major themes or categories concerning the response of the RAS to higher education. Properties which characterized or described each major category were deduced. The properties of each category were combined to create an inclusion rule for final category placement of each unit of information. The major categories developed by analyzing the data gathered during the study were (a) meeting the requirements, (b) responding to help, (c) managing time, and (d) making adjustments. Substantive theory about the education of adults in higher education was generated by positing five working hypotheses generated from the data gathered and analyzed. The study provides practical implications for RASs and instructors and administrators of higher education. Implications of the study include the need for RASs, instructors, and administrators in higher education to recognize the importance to RASs of meeting the requirements, responding to help, managing time, and making adjustments. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-03, Section: A, page: 0780. / Major Professor: Irwin R. Jahns. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 36-08, Section: A, page: 4957. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1975.

Research reveals that older workers would like some form of preretirement preparation to assist them in the transition from work to nonwork and that how to use their leisure is one of their greatest concerns. Leisure has been found to be significantly related to the life satisfaction of older adults. However, there is little evidence to support the value of leisure education in retirement preparation or to establish a positive relationship between preretirement preparation and the leisure satisfaction of retired individuals. / The relationship between preretirement preparation and the leisure satisfaction of retirees was examined. Unique to this study was the division of preretirement preparation into two levels of activity (preparation and planning), and determination of the respondents' level of involvement in these activities. The Leisure Satisfaction Scale was used to operationalize the relationship. Analyses included the Pearson Product Moment Correlation, analysis of variance, and t-test. / The 60 item questionnaire was sent to 132 retirees of a major city in Florida that offers a one day comprehensive preretirement program to all employees eligible for retirement. The 42% response rate consisted of 31 program participants and 24 nonparticipants. / Preretirement preparation was shown to be significantly related to leisure satisfaction in retirement. Participation in the formal program did not significantly contribute to the relationship. It did, however, stimulate participants to do additional informal preparation activity although their level of involvement in the program was not a factor. Finally, the planning activities contributed more to leisure satisfaction than did the preparation activities. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: A, page: 3502. / Major Professor: Emanuel I. Shargel. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Elderhostel, a new phenomenon in adult and continuing education, is a non-profit residential program for adults over the age of 60 years. The program offers a variety of short courses on a subjects ranging from the natural sciences to local history while combining leisure and education. This study investigated the satisfaction of former Elderhostel participants as well as several primary motivating factors for participation. The time frame for the study was one year and the universal population included older adults who had attended Elderhostel more than one time. Survey forms were used to collect the data which were statistically analyzed and tested for validity and reliability. / The survey questions were designed to provide data on the reasons for participation, the levels of satisfaction, and the expectations of the older adult participants. The results indicated that, for Elderhostel participants, intellectual and social motivation were strongly related to satisfaction. The results also indicated that satisfaction is highly related with expectation. Demographic characteristics and health of participants showed very little relationship with satisfaction levels of the participants. / These results indicate that satisfaction of continuing higher education through Elderhostels can be maximized if Elderhostel hosts provide topics of intellectual interest. In addition, the course structure should also allow for plenty of social interaction. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0916. / Major Professor: Allan Tucker. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

This study, using the case study and cross-case analysis method, identified and analyzed the practices and procedures a community-based educational agency, the public library, used to link with its external environment, its community. The bond issue referendum was selected as the phenomena through which effective linkage practices could be observed. The following research objectives guided the course of the study: (1) to determine the practices and procedures public libraries used to establish and maintain linkages with their external environment; (2) to compare the linkage practices used by libraries that have been successful in passing a bond referendum proposition the first time the issue is presented with linkage practices used by libraries that have been unsuccessful; and (3) to identify and analyze the environmental and organizational factors that affect the linkage practices and procedures used. / Data were gathered through on-site personal interviews, community and library documents, local newspaper clippings, and personal observation. A major conclusion was that one particular environmental factor, the status of the community economy, can have an overriding influence on the success or failure of the most comprehensive referenda campaigns. Other conclusions include that there are commonalities of linkage practices used in both successful and unsuccessful referenda campaigns, differing only in extensiveness; that the kinds of linkage practices can be more important than the number of practices used; and that there appears to be a difference in the types of target populations contacted in successful referenda campaigns. / Recommendations for identifying and implementing linkage development during a referendum campaign were detailed. Recommendations for further research were also suggested. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-12, Section: A, page: 3002. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

A variety of federal, state, county, and tribal groups and agencies are involved in providing adult vocational education for Seminole Indians living on Florida reservations. Following a series of discussions with concerned groups, it became apparent that there was no clear understanding among the various parties as to the goals, needs, and purposes of Seminole adult vocational education. Using an on-site interview technique, the researcher gathered information on the goals, needs, and attitudes of Seminole students and administrators, and non-Seminole administrators toward Seminole vocational education; then analyzed and compared their attitudes and perceptions. / The study describes the Seminole Tribe's educational services and facilities, vocational programs available to the Seminole on and off the reservations, and vocational enrollment estimates. / The study concluded that: (1) Seminole students mainly enrolled in business and industrial education programs; (2) Seminole administrators thought Seminole students preferred to work on the reservations, but only one-third of the students preferred to do so; (3) there was low correlation between Seminole administrators' and students' "reasons for enrolling in vocational programs"; (4) the groups agreed that business, health, agriculture, and public service education were the areas of vocational training most needed by the Tribe; (5) the groups generally rated on- and off-reservation vocational programs highly but also felt these programs were not successful at keeping Seminole students from dropping out; (6) Seminole administrators and students significantly differed in their opinions as to the degree of difficulty in securing on-reservation employment; and, (7) the study participants generally felt that vocational education was meeting the Seminoles' needs. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-08, Section: A, page: 2901. / Major Professor: Robert L. Lathrop. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.