The purpose of the needs assessment study was to obtain current, accurate, concrete information on the continuing education needs and preferences of selected social service practitioners. In addition, the intention was to gather information that could actually be used in planning and continuing education offerings by the Portland State University School of Social Work Continuing Education Coordinator.

This thesis recounts the history of the Portland Learning Community, an experimental institution of higher education founded in 1970 by a group consisting mostly of former faculty and students at Reed College. The Learning Community was funded by the Carnegie Corporation and affiliated with Antioch College.

The purpose of this research study is to investigate and gain understanding of the factors contributing to development of the Center for Advanced Learning (CAL), a regional collaborative educational reform project and the partnerships that emerged from that process. The development process and partnerships are examined from a systems thinking perspective. This study was guided by the following research questions: 1) Why did representatives from the private sector choose to partner with the CAL? 2) Why did some potential partners choose not to partner with the CAL? 3) What are the systems components that contributed to developing this collaborative educational reform project? 4) How do elements of the developmental systems encourage sustained progress? 5) How do educational and private sector systems interact and contribute to development of this project? The study participants included high school and college faculty and administrators, university faculty, and representatives from the private sector and governmental agencies. A total of 17 interviews were conducted and 469 CAL related documents were cataloged and analyzed. The overall findings indicate the project evolved through self-organization and self-regulation. The conclusions are: 1) the ability to sustain development of CAL as an educational reform project in a living systems paradigm rather than from a linear and directed approach required flexibility, understanding, trust, confidence, and time to allow autopoiesis to occur, 2) CAL partnerships evolved in a dynamic manner compared with partnerships described in the literature, 3) motivations to partner with CAL were the result of environmental factors and strange attractors, and 4) adaptive leadership in development of the CAL played an important role. Implications of the study suggest that: 1) systems awareness considerations by participants provides an increased degree of developmental flexibility, 2) the manner in which a vision is disseminated is key to developing momentum, and 3) curriculum development in a complex environment could be managed with systems considerations. / Graduation date: 2004

This study used a mixed method approach (quantitative and qualitative) to examine the commonalities and differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants of the Even Start Family Literacy Program. Using a life course perspective, this study examined the educational background and life history of Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants, their reasons and goals for program participation, and changes experienced due to Even Start participation. The sample for the qualitative analysis consisted of 32 Hispanic and 25 non-Hispanic female participants. Quantitative latent growth curve analysis was conducted on 96 (75 Hispanic and 21 Non-Hispanic) participants to measure change over time and to estimate the differences in rate of change between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Results of this study indicate that wide commonalities yet vital differences exist between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants. Poverty was the significant determinant factor in Hispanic as well as non-Hispanic participants' school failure. The experiences and implications of poverty, however, varied for Hispanic and non- Hispanic parents. The reasons and goals for Even Start participation were to achieve self-sufficiency for Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents. Achieving self-sufficiency involved acculturation to the American society for Hispanic participants. For non- Hispanic parents achieving self-sufficiency involved attaining GED and getting off of welfare. No effect of ethnicity was identified on the five outcome measures quantitatively examined in this study, which include knowledge of child development, parenting confidence and support, depression, self-esteem, and life skills. Initial differences existed between Hispanic and non-Hispanic participants in knowledge of child development and life skills, with non-Hispanic participants reporting higher knowledge of child development and greater life skills. Non-Hispanic participants, however, did not make greater gains than their Hispanic participants after being in the program. Qualitative results indicate that skills gained by Hispanic participants helped them acculturate in the American society, whereas for non-Hispanic participants the program helped achieve a sense of purpose and direction in life and create a better life for themselves and their family. / Graduation date: 2003

This qualitative study was designed to identify factors that might affect the psychological and educational wellness of nontraditional students in nontraditional graduate programs in Education. Specifically, informants were selected purposefully from three Oregon State University extended-campus graduate programs in Education. Student informants were working professionals with family obligations. Faculty informants were selected because of their extensive involvement in the delivery and instruction of these programs. The informants shared their experiences and opinions in focus group and in-depth interviews. The initial focus group interview yielded basic concepts and categories that guided subsequent in-depth interviews with nine students and three faculty members. Transcripts of the in-depth interviews, along with focus group data, were crafted into narrative profiles of the informants. Analysis and comparison of the informants' profiles enabled examination of patterns and commonalities that appeared to be present among their experiences. The following conclusions were generated from the findings: 1. Family support and involvement are foundational factors in the attainment of the degree. 2. Financial implications must be of prime concern in the student's preliminary plans to enroll in a graduate program. 3. Wellness, both psychological and physical, can be significantly impacted by preoccupation with the academic demands of the program. 4. Time management is basic to successfully balancing family and career responsibilities and the institutional demands of higher education. 5. Workplace support and the field application of course work are critical elements in maintaining career momentum while undertaking a meaningful learning experience. 6. Institutional and program requirements must be clearly understood by the student at the time of admission. 7. The program coordinator and the student's major professor are the main agents for institutional interface and outcome attainment. 8. Flexibility is required on the part of all stakeholders in these programs. This is especially important in three areas: (a) scheduling, (b) delivery, and (c) curriculum and instruction. 9. The cohort model provides a "second family" that is generally the best coping mechanism within the program. This study has implications for all stakeholders in nontraditional higher education: administrators, faculty, students, and employers. / Graduation date: 1998

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the major contributive factors affecting enrollment trends in secondary level agricultural programs in Oregon and California, as perceived by Oregon and California agricultural instructors and their respective principals. Methods and Procedures: A review of the literature revealed three areas that were viewed to contribute to enrollment fluctuations in secondary agricultural programs: 1. agricultural economic cycles; 2. an increasing number of academic requirements for graduation from secondary schools; and 3. overall quality of agricultural programs. The instrumentation was a mailed questionnaire, developed using a panel of experts, which addressed demographic data and program quality factors. Subjects were randomly selected and the questionnaire was mailed to teachers and principals from 50 schools in Oregon and 100 schools in California in Fall 1989. In Fall 1994, the study was replicated and included those schools where both teacher and principal responded to the 1989 survey. Pearson Correlations, Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Signed-Ranks Test, Mann-Whitney U Test, One Way Analysis of Variance, Fishers z-Transformation statistical tests were used to analyze the data for interpretation. Findings and Conclusions: There was a high degree of agreement in 1989 and 1994 between teachers and principals from both Oregon and California concerning those factors which consistently ranked highly as positive factors affecting an increase in agricultural enrollment. These were: 1) Competent and qualified agricultural instructor; 2) Positive image of the FFA; 3) Quality agricultural curriculum and course offerings; and 4) A class schedule that limited conflicts. The 1994 data revealed an additional factor, parents positive image of agriculture as a good career, as contributing to enrollment increases. During times of declining agricultural enrollment, enrollment increases were slow to respond to program improvement efforts. Inversely, during times of increasing school enrollment, agricultural enrollment more readily respond to program improvement. In general, California teachers and principals tended to agree more on factors that contribute to quality programs than did Oregon teachers and principals. Oregon and California teachers agreed on the factors that affect increases and decreases in agricultural enrollment, and while not as consistent, Oregon and California principals agreed also. / Graduation date: 1997

This mixed-methods study combined pragmatism, sociocultural perspectives, and systems thinking concepts to investigate students' engagement, thinking, and learning in science in an urban, K-8 arts, science, and technology magnet school. A grant-funded school-university partnership supported the implementation of an inquiry-based science curriculum, contextualized in the local environment through field experiences. The researcher worked as co-teacher of 3 sixth-grade science classes and was deeply involved in the daily routines of the school.The purposes of the study were to build a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that take place in an urban science classroom, including challenges related to implementing culturally-relevant instruction; and to offer insight into the role educational systems play in supporting teaching and learning. The central hypothesis was that connecting learning to meaningful experiences in the local environment can provide culturally accessible points of engagement from which to build science learning.Descriptive measures provided an assessment of students' engagement in science activities, as well as their levels of thinking and learning throughout the school year. Combined with analyses of students' work files and focus group responses, these findings provided strong evidence of engagement attributable to the inquiry-based curriculum. In some instances, degree of engagement was found to be affected by student "reluctance" and "resistance," terms defined but needing further examination. A confounding result showed marked increases in thinking levels coupled with stasis or decrease in learning. Congruent with past studies, data indicated the presence of tension between the diverse cultures of students and the mainstream cultures of school and science.Findings were synthesized with existing literature to generate the study's principal product, a grounded theory model representing the complex, interacting factors involved in teaching and learning. The model shows that to support learning and to overcome cultural tensions, there must be alignment among three main forces or "causal factors": students, teaching, and school climate. Conclusions emphasize system-level changes to support science learning, including individualized support for students in the form of differentiated instruction; focus on excellence in teaching, particularly through career-spanning professional support for teachers; and attention to identifying key leverage points for implementing effective change.

Early in the fall of 1973, the Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) decided to sponsor a statewide training project in cooperation with seven chapters in other Department of Health, Education and Welfare (DHEW) regions across the United States. These workshops were to comprise Stage I of a two-stage plan; they were to serve as demonstration projects. Their planning, implementation and evaluation were to be seriously reviewed and studied afterword in an attempt to devise a model, or models, for Stage II, when a great number of such workshops would be held across the nation. The training plan ensued as part of a contract between NASW and the Health Resource Administration of DHEW, and was entitled Project Provide. The purpose of the contract was to train social work designees and consultants who are employed in Long Term Care Facilities (LTCF). The objective of the training was to initiate and/or improve appropriate social services to reduce the unmet social and human needs of residents and their families.

The following report deals with the career education program at Mountain View, one of six intermediate schools in the Beaverton school District #48. During the summer of 1974, four Mountain View faculty members developed what they titled the Mountain View Intermediate School Career Educational Resource Guide (CERG). The faculty members developed this guide keeping in mind the requirements of the Master Plan but also adding specific references relating to what direction they felt the career education program at Mountain View should take. The CERG was designed in such a way that career related activities for each grade level were broken down into specific curriculum areas, i.e., math, science, art, etc. It was hoped that each career related activity in the CERG would foster both teacher and student interest to a point where exploration of careers would be an ongoing and positive experience for both student and teacher alike.

Currently there is a national policy debate on the issue of appropriate educational programs for language minority students. This study addresses the issue at the state level, asking: Are ESL/bilingual education policies in Oregon school districts providing equal educational opportunity for language minority students? The purpose of the study is to document ESL/bilingual policies in Oregon school districts, and to analyze them in terms of their contribution to equality of educational opportunity. Policy analysis serves as the theoretical framework for the study because of its potential as a synthesizing paradigm for studies in educational administration. The Policy Process Model (Heflin, 1981), incorporates three stages: (a) policy formulation, (b) policy implementation, and (c) policy impact. The research questions correspond to these three stages, and seek to analyze policy in eight areas pertinent to ESL/bilingual education. (1) Identification and assessment; (2) Instructional programs; (3) Primary language usage; (4) Exiting and mainstreaming; (5) Recognition of minority group cultures; (6) Parental involvement; (7) Personnel requirements; (8) Program evaluation. Survey research was chosen as an efficient method of gathering data from a large number of subjects throughout a widespread geographical area. The design of the survey instrument included an analysis of legal and theoretical bases for educating language minority students, expert input, and field testing. The entire population of 305 Oregon school districts was surveyed. A 93.8 percent response rate was obtained. The analysis of data produced the following conclusions: (1) There is a large and growing population of limited-English proficient (LEP) students in Oregon schools. Although most districts provide some type of programs for LEPs, district policy is rarely mentioned as the reason for doing so. (2) Implementation varies widely from district to district, in the absence of clear statewide standards for effective education for language minority students. (3) Only nine percent of districts reporting LEP students implement ESL/bilingual policies that apparently are in complete compliance with federal and state laws. (4) Only two percent implement policies that concur with basic principles for educating language minority students. (5) A district's level of compliance with the laws and concurrence with basic principles do not correlate with district size; rather with numbers or percentages of LEP students in the district.