The primary purpose of this study was to determine the difference in academic advisement effectiveness between the faculty system of academic advisement and the athletic system of academic advisement at The Florida State University. A secondary purpose was to determine the variables which contributed to the observed differences between the two systems of advisement. Effectiveness was measured by student satisfaction, grade point average, and number of credit hours attempted and completed. / Participants were (a) all freshman and sophomore athlete advisees (157) in the system of athletic academic advisement and (b) a stratified and randomly selected group of 157 freshman and sophomore non-athlete advisees under the system of faculty academic advisement. / Data were collected by means of the Academic Advising Survey developed for this study. Each instrument was divided into three sections: (a) need importance, need fulfillment, and need satisfaction; (b) advisee experience; and (c) advisee demographic information. Fifty-five percent of the respondents were athletes; 45% were non-athletes. / Athletes perceived a significantly higher level of satisfaction (.05 level) with basic need fulfillment than did non-athletes, and perceived a higher level of need importance for the advising function concerned with the explanation of university regulations. / Non-athletes achieved significantly higher grade point averages and attempted and completed more credit hours than did the athletes. The student demographic variable, SAT score, was significantly correlated (.05 level) with grade point averages for both athletes and non-athletes. ACT scores were significantly correlated with the number of credit hours attempted and completed by athletes. Black racial origin was the only student demographic variable which had a negative correlation. The negative effect was limited to non-athlete grade point average. Athletes' responses indicated that advisor assistance with the transition from high school to the university had a significant effect on grade point average, and that level of satisfaction was significantly related to frequency of advisor/advisee meetings. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-09, Section: A, page: 2780. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The primary purpose of this study was to compare perceived professional skills attainment and need for further skill development of selected men and women in mid-level student affairs positions. / Public and private institutions accredited in the southeast United States, granting at the minimum the baccalaureate degree, were chosen for inclusion in this study. Chief student affairs officers from 137 institutions identified 1,347 mid-level student affairs professionals. A survey instrument developed by the investigator was mailed to a sample of 811 professionals. Responses were received from 613 (76.5%) individuals. / More women than men respondents were employed in career planning and placement, and health services. More men respondents than women were employed in counseling and student activities/unions. / Skills were analyzed in seven categories: leadership, fiscal management, professional development, communication, personnel management, research and evaluation, and student contact. Respondents in all functional areas selected leadership skills and personnel skills as "very important." Research and evaluation skills were not cited as being "very important" by respondents in any functional area. Men and women respondents were similar in skills selected as important; however, significant differences were found with regard to fiscal management and professional development skills. Public institution respondents reported more importance placed on all skill categories, except research and evaluation, than did private institution respondents. Few significant differences were found between selected independent variables--degree attained, marital status, age, ethnic background, length of time in position--and the dependent variable, perceived skill importance. / Respondents cited a great need for further skill development. On the average, they reported a need to further develop 38 of the 64 skills. / The three most preferred skill development activities selected by men and women respondents were workshops, conferences and discussions with colleagues. Men also chose reading as a top preferred activity; women also chose mentor relationships. The top five professional development activities engaged in by men and women respondents were conferences, reading, student involvement, discussions with colleagues and workshops. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-09, Section: A, page: 2902. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

The purpose of the study was to collect and analyze base information concerning the use of volunteers in child abuse and neglect prevention programs. The study sought to determine how frequently and in what ways volunteers were used in child abuse and neglect prevention and the problems encountered when volunteers were used. A questionnaire was administered to 209 Directors of the child protection service programs in Region VI under the Department of Health and Human Services. / The data disclosed only 20 prevention programs out of the 131 responding programs. The general perception regarding the use of volunteers indicated cost as the major prohibitive factor. The common services and responsibilities of the volunteers included community education, lay therapy, transportation, paperwork and volunteer training. Only 14 agencies provided training for the volunteers which involved state laws, communication and interviewing skills, child development, community resources, and parenting education. The problems identified by the agencies in using volunteers were dependability, recruitment and legal issues. / The findings indicate that only 15 additional prevention programs plan to use volunteers in the future. Further research is encouraged toward a comparative analysis of private and public agencies using volunteers in the prevention of child abuse and neglect. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-10, Section: A, page: 3228. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

The purpose of this study was to examine the federal financial aid recipients in 1974-75 freshman class at the Florida State University, to determine if the factors of type of federal financial aid package received, amount of money awarded, socio-economic status (family income), ethnicity, age, sex, and academic ability were related to retention. A population of 615 federal financial aid recipients was used. Data were collected from the students' permanent records maintained by the Florida State University. Multiple regression analysis was the basic statistical technique used to analyze collected data. Basic correlations and descriptive statistics were also presented. / The major findings of the study were: (1) high school grade point average was significant in predicting persistence to graduation; (2) the undergraduate grade point average was the most important academic variable in predicting student retention; (3) recipients between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two persisted to graduation at a higher rate than older students; (4) more females persisted to graduation than males; (5) the ethnicity of a student did not exhibit any statistical significance in persistence to graduation; (6) students from higher family income brackets graduated more frequently than students from lower income families; (7) the grant package was the most important financial aid type in explaining student retention followed by the loan plus grant package, while recipients of loan package, and loan plus college work study program exhibit a higher attrition rate than recipients of other financial aid packages; (8) the findings of this research support the conclusion that grant should be a major proportion of any financial aid type if retention is a major part of the institution's policy; (9) the amount of aid awarded was statistically related to retention; (10) the rate of retention over a five academic year period was 38.54 percent. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, Section: A, page: 0684. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.

The focus of this study was the 1980-1981 status of the organization and administration of academic music units in higher education to determine whether the title of the unit and where the unit is located within the institution make any significant differences in regard to key organizational and administrative provisions. / The data were gathered from 73 institutions through the use of a mail questionnaire. Results indicated that schools and departments located in colleges which are four hierarchial levels from the presidential office were the most popular organizational structures. The major unit goal was to prepare students for careers in related music professions such as teaching, church music, and therapeutic services. Goals will undergo moderate change during the next decade. / Typical administrators, called chairpersons, spent three-fourths to full time on administrative duties but considered themselves both faculty members and administrators. Unit administrators viewed themselves as powerful influences within the music unit and considered the influences of the music faculty greater than that of the dean. / When schools were compared to departments there were no significant differences found among the two units in the areas of (a) organizational structure and size with four exceptions; (b) goals and priorities; (c) formal leadership, communication, and decision-making provisions; (d) financial and support provisions with two exceptions. It was concluded that the name of the unit and its location made no significant difference on the key organization and administration provisions. Opinions expressed by the chief unit administrators overwhelmingly supported the school of music organizational concept over the departmental plan. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-07, Section: A, page: 2062. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.

This study was concerned with gathering and analyzing data relative to the practices utilized by the Council for the Advancement of Experiential Learning (CAEL) member institutions in the assessment and academic recognition of nonsponsored experiential learning. The theoretical basis for the study was drawn from Argyris and Schon's theory of professional practice, which describes human behavior in terms of theories-in-use and espoused theories. / Problem. This study focused on determining: (1) how nontraditional assessment practices were integrated into traditional academic structures, and (2) how practitioners evaluated their assessment and credentialing process. / Purpose. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which specific assessment and academic recognition practices were being implemented by practitioners of nonsponsored experiential learning assessment programs and to investigate the degree to which these practices were valued by these same practitioners as being effective in facilitating the goals and objectives of their nonsponsored experiential learning assessment programs. / Methodology. A modified version of a CAEL instrument was developed, validated, and mailed to the CAEL institutional membership. Each questionnaire contained a letter of support from Dr. Morris Keeton, President of CAEL, and Dr. William Arceneaux, Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Louisiana. One hundred eighty-nine (66.5%) instruments were returned of which 162 (57.0%) were deemed useable for the study. The data were subjected to the Chi Square Test, and comparisons were made between the frequency of practice scale, the value rating scale, and the six independent variables. / Selected Findings. The findings of the study suggest that practitioners were generally consonant in how they applied and valued assessment and academic recognition practices. They were, however, uncertain concerning appropriate practices for the transfer of nonsponsored experiential learning, compensating faculty assessors, and assigning an assessment fee to students for the assessment services. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-09, Section: A, page: 2691. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of participation in leisure activities and life satisfaction of college seniors. / The population for the study was all seniors attending the main campus of The Florida State University. The sample consisted of 500 seniors (250 males and 250 females) enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) during the 1985 spring semester, who had attained senior status (at least 90 credit hours), and were non-transfer students. Each participant received the Leisure Participation Scale and the Life Satisfaction Index-A. Useable responses to the questionnaire were received from 303 (62.4%) of the participants--181 females and 122 males. / The results indicated that participation in leisure activities did have a positive correlation with life satisfaction. Leisure participation explained approximately 9.97% of life satisfaction variance. When the six leisure activities categories were analyzed individually, only the categories of social activities and hobbies significantly correlated with life satisfaction. When the data were analyzed by gender, participation in leisure activities related to life satisfaction for females only. / Overall, participation in leisure activities did not significantly correlate with an individual's grade point average. When data for females were analyzed, none of the leisure activity categories related to their grade point average. For males, the leisure category of hobbies negatively correlated with their grade point average, while the leisure activities category of cultural activities had a positive correlation with their grade point average. / Overall, the grade point average of the entire sample did not significantly correlate with their life satisfaction. However, when the six leisure categories were analyzed separately, the categories of social activities and hobbies were significant. / When the data were analyzed by gender, only the grade point average of females significantly correlated with their life satisfaction. Of the six leisure categories, only social activities was statistically significant. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-07, Section: A, page: 2479. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an identifiable profile relating personality type, learning style, and leadership approach exists for college student leaders. Subjects were 100 student leaders at The Florida State University. Five leadership sessions were held during the fall semester, 1984, during which college student leaders were asked to respond to three instruments: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Kolb's Learning Style Inventory, and Hersey and Blanchard's Lead-Self. / Respondents were predominantly white (86%); female (59.0%); 20 years of age (25%); full-time (96%) and in the junior class (33%). Findings indicated that as a total group, student leaders' personality types tended to be extroverted, both sensing and intuitive, thinking and judgmental. On the learning style inventory, respondents were distributed among the four prevalent types of learning styles, with 32% identified as Accommodators; the highest learning style inventory score was reported as Abstract Conceptualization. Respondents perceived themselves to be High Task/High Relationship on the Lead-Self inventory. / The results of this study suggest that an identifiable profile can be developed for college student leaders. Through the assessment of personality type, learning style, and leadership approach of leaders, valuable information can be provided to student affairs professionals which can enhance the development of comprehensive leadership training sessions. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-12, Section: A, page: 3621. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The impact of personality characteristics (as measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator) and attitude upon learning by computer-assisted instruction was investigated. The population consisted of 79 upper-division students, male and female of varying ages, in a required orientation to teacher education of The University of West Florida. The students were divided into two groups--experimental and control. Pre and posts tests on metric measurements were administered. The experimental group also received a computerized treatment of the metric system developed by Hartley Courseware, Inc., and pre and post attitude tests. A six-week, time-lapse post test was also administered to the experimental group to ascertain affects of personality and attitude on retention. While the results indicated that students do learn by computer, there was no significant difference between each of the four personality classifications and achievement or retention. Nor was there any significant difference between each of the four personality classifications and attitude. Thus, in this study, neither personality characteristics nor attitude affected learning by computer. All statistical tests were conducted at the .05 level of significance. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-03, Section: A, page: 0801. / Thesis (Educat.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated advisement delivery algorhythm that would combine career counseling and academic advising in one package. Working with a panel of experts from the fields of career counseling, academic advising, and materials development, a flow diagram was developed to show what needed to occur at each logical step. / The conceptual framework of this study was based on Harren's Career Decision-making Model which states that a student begins with the awareness that a choice of major and occupation must be made, progressing through a planning phase of exploring options, to making a commitment and then implementing that commitment. In order to ensure that the algorhythm would accomplish the purposes of the model, Bailey and Stadt's Career Curriculum Development Model was used for the methodology. / Bailey and Statd's model calls for a five step process with a mechanism for feedback at each step. The panel of experts was utilized to provide this feedback. Beginning with the establishment of the purposes, goals and objectives of the materials, the actual instructional materials based on the algorhythm were developed and subjected to experimental field-testing before possible adoption and diffusion. In the field-testing, both a computer implementation and a paper-and-pencil implementation of the algorhythm were used at Gulf Coast Community College with full-time freshman students who were undecided about their choice of major. / Utilizing Harren's Assessments for Career Decision-Making Scales for occupation and major as pre-tests and post-test, it was determined that the algorhythm was effective in raising the students' commitment level to choice of occupation and choice of major. It was also found that the computer version of the algorhythm was more effective than the paper-and-pencil version. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-01, Section: A, page: 0082. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.