This research investigates the problem of how to initiate a training program for state education agency staff to increase individual and organizational capabilities for coping with uncertain futures. The investigation used a four-stage process of exploration, model-building, design/development, and validation to construct and test a model which would engage prospective learners in producing plans and generating evaluation data, while also enhancing their readiness to participate in subsequent training activities. / The model identifies functional tasks and decision questions for planning elements, evaluation elements, and cooperative learning elements, which are to be addressed during a five to six phase cycle of planning and learning sessions. Elements and tasks are based upon a synthesis of prescriptions from literature and other information sources on (a) the future as a field of study; (b) the adult professional as a learner; (c) nonformal education as a setting; and (d) models for planning and instructional decision making. / A prototype based upon the model was tested, using evidence from design sources and from the outputs and opinions of the state education agency staff who participated in the study. Sixteen research questions addressed five dimensions of validity. Thirteen questions yielded positive judgements, one question produced a judgement of "somewhat positive", and two questions yielded negative judgements, for an overall percentage exceeding 81% positive judgements of validity. These findings suggested further that the model is valid along three of the identified dimensions (productive, practical and adaptable). For the other two dimensions (adequate in scope and acceptable), some question remains. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-01, Section: A, page: 0075. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

This is a descriptive study of Florida teachers and their attitudes toward disabled learners. As a result of Public Law 94-142 with its concept of "least restrictive environment," regular classroom teachers have special need students in their classrooms with increasing frequency. A survey was utilized to measure teachers' attitudes toward the disabled. / The population included secondary school teachers selected as representive of the entire state. Two sampling populations were used: first, special education teachers and second, social studies and math teachers. Teachers within these groups were selected randomly. / The data gathering instrument consisted of a biographical checklist, the Attitude Toward Disabled People Scale by Yuker, Block, and Younng, the Empathy Scale by Robert Hogan, and the Survey of Ethical Attitudes by Robert Hogan. The surveys were mailed directly to teachers. / Responses from 71 percent of the teachers sampled were received and computed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). / Analysis of variance revealed that there is a significant difference between special educators and regular classroom teachers' attitudes toward the disabled. There were also significant differences among the teachers of each group, illustrating that area of speciality does effect attitude toward the disabled. Teacher race and sex were determined not to have an effect on attitude towards the disabled. / A path analysis of the survey items revealed that there were causal relationships between variables. The strongest positive relationship was found between empathy and attitude toward disabled people. Age and number of years teaching had negative correlations with attitude towards disabled people. Teachers who operate from an ethic of personal conscience had a better attitude toward the disabled than teachers who operate from an ethic of social responsibility. / Recommendations include: inservice teacher training that considers differences of teachers, incorporation of empathy training into teacher education programs, planning by Teacher Education Centers for P.L. 94-142 workshops. / Further research was recommended: duplication of the study using preservice teachers; examination of other variables that could effect teachers attitude; experimental research using existing inservice programs; in-school research to determine which teachers are already teaching the handicapped effectively. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4282. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The purposes of this study were: (1) to explore any differences in cognitive style, between Greek-American and Anglo-American children receiving monolingual and bilingual instruction, (2) to determine the relationship of cultural background, age, sex, bilingualism and linguistic dominance/proficiency to the cognitive style of Florida and New York first, second, third and fourth grade children, and (3) to explain any differences or similarities in cognitive style found between the selected groups of Greek-American and Anglo-American children. / The subjects were 300 school children of Greek and Anglo origins in grades one, two, three, and four, selected from urban Greek-American communities, with schools housing Greek bilingual programs in New York and Florida. All subjects were enrolled in the same schools and were approximately of equal mental ability and socioeconomic status. The cluster sampling and the stratified random sampling were the methods of selection used. / The Children's Embedded Figures Test (CEFT) was used to identify differentiation or field dependence-field independence; the Child Rating Observable Behavior Inventory (CROBI) was used to specify the number of bicognitive students in each of the three groups; and the Michopoulos' Test, otherwise referred to as the Greek-English Language Dominance/Proficiency Test (LD/LP), was used to identify three dominance and two proficiency comparison groups. / Even though no significant differences were found in psychological differentiation between Greek-American children attending bilingual and monolingual programs, as measured by CEFT, the results indicated that there are signficant differences between the aforementioned groups regarding bicognition. In addition, there were no significant age and sex differences in bicognition. One interesting finding was that Greek-American female students were not less differentiated than their male counterparts. / A significant aspect of this study lies in the fact that is an initial step to determine cognitive style differences between Greek-American and Anglo-American school children. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2474. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The effect of inserted feedback in an instructional film presenting rule learning was investigated. Two hundred and thirty-nine students registered for the course CHM-1045 at the Chemistry Department of Florida State University were randomly assigned to designated groups. A two-stage investigation procedure was used. / First Stage. Because of the limitations of the facilities and funds, video tape was substituted for 16 mm film as the medium for embedding feedback. In order to verify that the substitution of the medium of presentation resulted in no significant learning difference, subjects were assigned to two groups: (a) the first group viewed a Chemistry film projected by means of a 16 mm projector, and (b) the second group viewed the same film through a 3/4" video cassette recorder (VCR). Pretests and posttests were given to the groups. Since no difference was found, the VCR was selected for the experiment. / Second Stage. The experiment was concerned with determining the effect of feedback in a film presenting rule learning. Therefore, the remaining subjects (117) were assigned to the two experimental groups: (a) the first group viewed a film with inserted questions only, and (b) the second group viewed the same film with identical questions plus the correct response to those questions as feedback. Similar pre and posttests given to the groups of the first stage were also administered to the groups of the second stage. The learning test examined student factual knowledge and rule learning presented in the 16 mm Chemistry film "Hydrogen Atom." The results were: (1) feedback contributes significantly ((alpha) = .05) to rule learning; (2) there was no statistically significant ((alpha) = .05) difference between the group receiving the VCR with inserted questions and the group receiving the VCR alone. However, comparisons of group performance showed a statistically significant ((alpha) = .05) difference between the group receiving the VCR with inserted questions and the group receiving the film version only. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-03, Section: A, page: 0922. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

This study investigated the development of a program which used members of the community as adjunct instructional personnel for rural, gifted and talented secondary students. The researcher reviewed literature related to identification of gifted and talented students, utilization of community volunteers in instructional programs, and development of community resource files. Using information gained from the literature, criteria for selecting participants were established, and 17 gifted and talented 12th grade students--7 males and 10 females--were identified. A plan for building a community resource file was developed, and the file was built. Units of instruction in the areas of art, music, and writing were developed by the researcher. Thirty-one community volunteers were used to field test the model program. The Kuder Preference Record Form C and a student questionnaire developed by the researcher were administered to participants at the beginning and completion of the program to determine its effects on vocational interests and student perceptions of the program, their community, and the use of volunteers. Upon completion of the program, a researcher developed questionnaire concerning reasons for participation, understanding of aims and problems of the school, and value of the program in terms of personal gratification was administered to the volunteers. Overall findings of the study indicated that an educational model using community volunteers could be developed to provide an appropriate education for gifted and talented secondary students. Perceptions of both groups indicated that community volunteers could be effectively used as instructional personnel. Improved communication resulting from interaction between school and community and the effects on student learning would indicate that programs using community resources be expanded to other students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-10, Section: A, page: 4264. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.

This study was designed to determine whether transfer of learning would differ significantly between subjects trained and tested utilizing the same instructional materials, differing only in the scale of the model used for training and the use or non-use of an audio supplement with text. The models used were reduced-scale, full-scale and the actual equipment. / Four hypotheses were generated. Three hypotheses dealt with the relationships between the three models, and one hypothesis dealt with the relationship between the two audio treatments. The subjects were 60 first-term enlisted U.S. Army personnel, similarily qualified, based upon their General Technical (GT) and Electronic (EL) scores on the Armed Forces Qualification Test, (AFQT). Instructional material consisted of an individualized, self-paced booklet, an audio tape, which read the booklet, the three aforementioned models, an end-of-course test and a transfer test. / Each subject was trained and tested on one of the models until an established mastery level was attained on the end-of-course test. Once mastery was demonstrated, each subject was given a transfer test on the actual equipment. / The data was analyzed using ANCOVA in a 3 x 2 design, with the individual GT score as the covariate. The results indicate no significant differences in average performance nor variability between the three model treatments, but do indicate significant differences in average performance and variability between the two audio conditions. Subjects using the audio supplement, with text, produced significantly better average performance and were more consistent. The analyses showed no significant interactions. / The ANCOVA performed on the transfer and time scores revealed very low correlations. No ANCOVA was performed on the error scores since there was virtually no within-group correlation between the GT and error scores. These findings suggest little or no predictive power within the ranges of GT and performance. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-10, Section: A, page: 4272. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

The purpose of this study was to compare both the effectiveness and efficiency of utilizing live demonstrations (with a fully adequate and precise display of the movement) and videotaped demonstrations (with and without a fully adequate and precise display of the movement) in teaching a motor skill, cordiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). / After observing one of the three demonstrations, 97 tenth and eleventh grade students completed a written test which assessed their knowledge of information critical to satisfactorily performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Next, the students practiced and received feedback from CPR instructors who utilized predetermined guidelines. The instructors also recorded the time required for each student to demonstrate mastery of the skill. After the practice and feedback session, other CPR instructors utilizing a performance checklist evaluated each student's ability to satisfactorily perform CPR on a manikin. Prior to the experiment, a questionnaire was administered to students to determine which students to exclude from the study based on previous exposure to cardiopulmonary resuscitation and/or physical handicaps. / A one-way analysis of variance test revealed no significant differences in the time required for practice and feedback between demonstration groups. Females did require a significantly longer period of time for practice and feedback than did males. There were also no significant differences in test scores for the three demonstration groups. The Pearson product-moment correlation between the written test scores and time required for practice and feedback was negative (r = -.23). A post hoc hypothesis that students from the three demonstration groups would exhibit an equal ability to demonstrate mastery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was developed and tested by a 3 x 2 chi square test. The results of the chi square test were significant. Utilizing a technique known as partitioning of chi square, it was concluded that a significantly smaller proportion of students who observed the fully adequate and precise display of the movement on videotape demonstrated mastery of the motor skill than did students in the other two demonstration groups. This finding was attributed to an artifact (failure of equipment). Students who demonstrated mastery scored significantly higher on the written test and required a significantly shorter period of time for practice and feedback than did students who failed to demonstrate mastery. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, Section: A, page: 0065. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

A descriptive study of the cognitive styles of African theological students was conducted in order to propose the most appropriate strategies for bibliographic instruction in African theological colleges. / The following research questions were asked: (1) What are the learning styles of African theological students in Kenya and Nigeria? (2) Do students in the two countries differ in their learning styles? If so, how? (3) What teaching strategies do theological students in Kenya and Nigeria prefer? (4) What teaching strategies can be recommended as those likely to be most effective for bibliographic instruction in theological schools in Africa? / The Cognitive Style Inventory for African Students and the Group Embedded Figures Test were administered to 118 theological students in two theological colleges in Nigeria and in two theological colleges in Kenya. In order to determine whether African theological students share a unique learning style, the same instruments were also administered to 87 students studying in form V in Kenyan and Nigerian government schools. / Findings. Ninety-one percent of all the students were field-dependent, and 9% were field-independent. All students (100%) in the West African schools were field-dependent, and 84% of the Kenyan students were field-dependent. / The theological students tended to be more field-dependent than the government school students. Ninety-seven percent of the theological students were field-dependent, and 83% of the government school students were field-dependent. / The results of the Cognitive Style Inventory for African Students showed the preferences of African theological students to be very similar to those of African government school students. A majority of the subjects had a visual orientation rather than an auditory one. They showed the ability to perceive meaning through touch and through sight. Depending upon the situation, the African theological students look to family, associates or themselves when making decisions. Both inductive and deductive reasoning are employed. / The data were used to propose teaching strategies for bibliographic instruction. The strategies were reviewed and approved by a panel of experts in cognitive style mapping. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-12, Section: A, page: 3527. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

This study was designed to develop and evaluate an Instructional Package on Thinking Operations for first graders in Venezuela. The skills developed into the Instructional Package were observing, comparing, and classifying, according to Louis Raths. The analysis and interpretation of theory and prior studies in learning to think were from the Information Processing Model. Five measures were used: test of Thinking Operations, school readiness, creative thinking, intelligence scale, and socio-economic status. The results from the posttest scores on thinking operations were used as the dependent variable. The subjects were 214 first graders from the Guarenas-Guatire school district in the State of Miranda, Venezuela. Three classrooms with a total of 114 students were randomly assigned to the treatment, and three classrooms with a total of 100 students were assigned to regular classroom activities. The research design was a classroom nested within treatment model. Analysis of variance and covariance was used for analyzing the data. / In Thinking Operations the results indicate that the treatment group performed better than the regular classroom activities group. Performance improved in the school where the treatment was applied and the classroom nested within treatment effect was significant at posttest in Thinking Operations. Within the treatment group, one of the three possible contrasts was statistically significant: it indicated that the classroom with the lowest socio-economic status performed better than the one with the highest. For the non-treatment group the classroom with the high socio-economic status was better than the classroom with the medium socio-economic status. / Another result observed was that classroom effect on performance in creative thinking was significant. Average gain scores in creative thinking were greater for students from the most deprived sector. The specific goal of enhancing the ability of first grade students in Thinking Operations was achieved with the Instructional Package treatment. This result is in accordance with what theory and prior findings had indicated. The implications of the findings and future research areas are also discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-03, Section: A, page: 0603. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The problem investigated was: What is the effect of inserted divergent and convergent questions on the achievement of internal and external locus of control (IE group) intermediate students using an individualized dictionary usage program? / The independent variables were IE group and two types of inserted questions. The dependent variable was achievement. The design was an experimental 2 x 2 with random assignment to treatments. There was no control group. Students were randomly selected and assigned to divergent and convergent treatments. Two hundred seventy-two students were used in the analysis and represented a large urban school district stratified by its four districts. / Two sets of six modules on dictionary usage were developed. The modules were identical except for inserted questions and represented the two treatment conditions. IE identification was done with Crandall's IAR scale. The study lasted ten school days. A total of three tests were administered, pretest, IAR scale, and posttest. Pretests and posttests were identical, containing both divergent and covergent items. / ANCOVA was the procedure used to analyze the data. The dependent variables (posttests convergent, divergent, and total) were analyzed with the pretest (subtests and total) as covariates. A significant relationship was found. Means were adjusted. / There were three primary findings. The first was, there was a significant interaction for IE group and treatment for posttest divergent question. The interaction was in the predicted direction. Differences were small and the interpretation of the interaction was explained as a weak confirmation of the hypotheses. The other primary findings showed: (1) no interaction for posttest convergent and (2) no interaction for total posttest. / There were three other findings, unrelated to the hypotheses. Further analysis found: (1) a significant main effect for convergent questions, (2) no main effect for divergent questions, and (3) no effect for treatment. / The study left unanswered the specific effect of inserted questions, but concluded that the effect was present, and inherent in the mathemagenic behaviors (cognitive variables) and locus of control (noncognitive variables) of the learner. The study supported the use of inserted questions as an instructional technique. The study supported the hypotheses--but not strongly. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 0882. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.