This thesis has been an investigation of the applicability of the middleman minority theory with reference to foreign students studying in the United States.Results of the study showed that the returning students generally corresponded with the criteria of the sojourners. Non-returning students however, did not fulfill all the conditions which apply to the middleman minority group residing in the host country. It was concluded that middleman minority is not a discrete category, but falls into the end of a continuum, which starts with the sojourners. In utilizing the middleman minority theory, two factors were excluded from the theory. These were that foreign students act as middleman between the elite and the masses in a society, and that they prefer to work in liquidable occupations.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe elements that may influence the effective planning and implementation of writing coach programs at small newspapers.Writing coaching at newspapers is becoming increasingly popular as a way to improve the writing abilities of reporters, to improve newsroom morale, to improve the relationship between reporters and editors, and to better serve newspaper readers. This study examined newspaper writing coach programs from an adult and continuing education program planning perspective.This study was qualitative, and was not intended to be generalized to any population. It was intended to provide information that may help the management and staff at small newspapers plan and implement writing coach programs effectively.Two techniques were used to obtain information: 1) telephone interviews with writing coaches, and 2) mini case study site visits to top editors at small newspapers.Ten writing coaches, located throughout the United States, were interviewed by telephone. The coaches selected for interviews were recommended by their peers as being among the most effective coaches in the country. Domain and taxonomic analyses were conducted of the interview transcripts. The study resulted in information relevant to eight areas related to planning and implementing newspaper writing coach programs: benefits, reasons, barriers, budgets, organizational climate, strengths and weaknesses, structure, and evaluation.Site visits were made to seven small newspapers. Before the visits, the top editors at the seven papers were sent a summary of the information gathered in the writing coach interviews. The editors were asked to react to the interview summary and to share their thoughts on planning and implementing writing coach programs at their newspapers. The site visits resulted in seven mini case studies, each containing a narrative section and a conclusions section.Following the interviews and site visits, a general model was recommended for planning and implementing effective writing coach programs at small newspapers. The Coaching Way of Life Model describes assumptions upon which a coaching program should be based, and describes the role of a coaching facilitator at a small newspaper. / Department of Educational Leadership

This study examined the relationships between core voting bloc movement and success on school referenda elections. Core voting bloc movement was defined as the change in the ratio of voters who voted in contiguous school referenda elections relative to voters who voted in only one election. The research also examined the factors of election timing, campaign strategy, school affiliation, and voter gender, age, and residence.The sample consisted of the majority of all school referenda elections held in a three-county area of west-central Ohio during the period 1988 to 1991. The dependent variable, percent yes vote change, was measured at the precinct level.Findings suggest that the effect of turnout is problematic. The drop off rate of voters when core voting bloc strength is increasing is not a mirror image of the influx rate experienced when core voting bloc strength is diluted. Additional findings suggest that 1) schools will continue to have a difficult time passing school referenda questions, 2) factors influencing core voting bloc movement are similar for females and males, 3) older voters are too heterogeneous in their voting behaviors to be viewed as a single voting bloc, 4) voters who experience a higher incidence of property tax liability tend to oppose school referenda elections, 5) questions placed on the ballot during periods of traditionally large turnout have a higher likelihood of success than those placed during periods of low turnout, 6) low-profile campaign strategies do not increase the likelihood of school referenda election success, and 7) perceptions of school affiliation significantly affect the likelihood of success. This study also found that percent yes vote change was negative for elections held during expansionary times and slightly positive for elections held during recessionary times.None of the factors considered accounted for significant amounts of variance in the dependent variable. / Department of Educational Leadership

Social Feminism, as influenced by the Enlightenment, manifested itself between 1780 and 1860. An important aspect of social feminism was intellectual emancipation for women. Such intellectual emancipation came about through the blending of ideas emanating from prominent cultural and social centers in the western world. Women had been absorbing the reformist ideas of the Enlightenment philosophies, incorporating them into their own lines of thinking, and producing a social theory aiming at educational freedom for women. The individual efforts to initiate change in time reached beyond national boundaries through the pioneer social feminists' literary works and word of mouth. It is the intent of this dissertation to examine and analyze the linkage between the concept of social feminism and educational emancipation.The purpose of this research is to establish the significance of education as a major branch of social feminism within the context of the women's movement. To overcome language barriers that prevented research into other countries' women's movements, I have restricted this study to England and America and developed the concept of transatlantic feminism.Between 1780 and 1860 the women's "question" in England and America gained its theoretical foundations. Although there was no organized feminist movement, societies in both countries were being made conscious of the problems stemming from the subordinate status of women. This social awareness resulted from the tracts and discussions of certain male philosophers and of various exceptional females who focused on the question of women's rights and other related issues.The major emphasis during this early stage of the women's "question" was the issue of education as a vehicle for elevating the position of women. The education of available to women at that time was limited in nature. Training caring mothers was what social feminists protested against in their writings and discourses. Yet they understandably differed in their aims and formulas for change. Some spokeswomen, while accepting the societal status quo, promoted education as a means for women to recognize their moral superiority. There were yet others who demanded a "separate but equal" education so that women could exploit their full potential and, in some cases, assert their economic independence. All these social reformers, through their own unique experiences, also set examples for their contemporaries and future generations to follow.Despite some inconsistencies in their approaches to educational reform for women, almost all of the individual feminists discussed in this dissertation felt that intellectual emancipation would pave the way for improved social standing for women. / Department of History

The study sought to identify the relationship between the increase in participation in adult education and the rate of social change in American society. Three major research questions were examined: 1) What changes are taking place in the traditional social institutions which may be causing adults to rely upon education as a means of adjustment; 2) What are the effects of technology upon the cultural values in contemporary American society; 3) What changes are taking place in the social roles and responsibilities of American adults.The study related the knowledge of the intellectual and psychological growth of adults to educational programming, and suggested the role which adult education will continue to play in the immediate future. Relevant publications by social critics and educators were examined, and statistical information related to social change in the United States was cited. It was determined that there had been dramatic social change in the United States during this century as a result of the deep and pervasive impact of technology on all aspects of society. As an example it was reported that an enormous upheaval in family life was refected in the 350% increase in the divorce rate in the fifteen year period from 1960 to 1975.The impact which this change has had upon individual adjustment is reflected in the fact that the largest percentage of increase in reasons for participation in adult education programs was in the area of personal and family interests and that the increase itself was strongly related to the general increase in participation in adult education programs by women.The study concluded that the changing role of women in society and the upheaval in family life was related to the increase in the number of women taking courses for personal and family reasons. It concluded that the impact of technological change on all aspects of society would have to be dealt with by educators for many years to come, directly assisting adults to develop the flexibility and creativity necessary to adapt to change. It recommended specific areas for planning adult education programs, and cited a number of areas of sociological and educational concern which were raised during the study, to which other scholars might address themselves.

Access to abstract restricted until July 2015. / Department of Educational Studies

Public policy and current educational reforms have challenged schools to close the achievement gap for all students, including those with disabilities as required under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. As schools seek to implement sound instructional practices for students, technology has become a dominant force in schools and society. The focus of improving instruction and meeting the needs of diverse learners has not yet blended with the technology capabilities that are more readily available in schools. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) seeks to build an inherent flexibility into the curriculum and to utilize technology to accommodate diverse learners. The purpose of this study was to analyze how UDL training impacted school personnel’s perceptions of inclusion, instruction, student engagement, and the use of technology to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners. The sample consisted of faculty from 50 Indiana schools, and analysis was completed based on respondents’ level of UDL training. Significant differences were found in perceptions that the primary responsibility for accommodating classroom activities for students with disabilities lies with the special education teacher, as well as whether accommodations designed for students with disabilities create increased opportunities for all learners. Significant differences were also found in how technology is used to provide choice and flexibility to students and differentiate instruction. There were significant differences in faculty perceptions that choice and technology impacted students’ levels of engagement. Significant differences were found among variables based on respondents’ categorization as general education or special education, as well as categorization as administrators or teachers. / Department of Special Education

The growth of the middle school movement has been rapid. During the first two decades of middle school growth, 1960-1980, experts in the field of middle school education began to identify the guiding principles which appeared best able to meet the special needs of middle school age youngsters. The purpose of the study was to determine the level of implementation of eighteen guiding principles, or critical attributes, of middle school programs as currently manifested in middle schools in the United States.A review of literature and related research encompassed a history of the junior high and middle school, characteristics of transescent youth, pertinent literature of the 1970-1980 decade and an examination of related similar studies. Findings from the review confirmed that the eighteen critical attributes advocated in the 1960-1970 period were still advocated during the 1970-1980 period by the leading advocates in the field of middle school education.A survey instrument containing 62 items was used to determine the level of implementation of each of the eighteen critical attributes. Numerical values were assigned to every possible answer for each item in the survey instrument. The instrument was sent to 250 randomly selected administrators of three and four year middle schools. The instrument was also administered to 15 randomly selected representatives of middle schools at the National Middle School Association Annual Convention, One hundred nineteen usable responses were obtained.The findings indicate that tae overall level Of implementation of the eighteen critical attributes nationally was 53.48 per cent. The data produced a finding that the attribute currently being used least was in the area of flexible scheduling. Reported in high use were social and physical experiences, student services and use of multi-materials in teaching.In comparison to levels of implementations found in identical studies at the state level, the use of auxiliary staffing and team teaching were markedly higher than in any of the states. Most of the attributes were reported to have increased from surveys in the states. No new major critical attributes were found to be advocated in the review of the literature from 1970-1980 andnone of the eighteen attributes used in the study were criticized as being either obsolete or poor.Conclusions drawn from the data gathered in the study show that twenty years of expert advocacy of the eighteen critical attributes have not produced a high level of implementation of the attributes in middle schools. The literature of the 1970-1980 decade supports and continues to advocate the founding principles of the middle school movement without major changes in the attributes. Use of team teaching, one of the eighteen attributes most advocated in the literature, is the most rapidly increasing attribute. Other conclusions were that middle school practices nationally did not differ significantly from practices in states which were individually surveyed, and that the eighteen critical attributes of middle schools do not significantly differ from the proposed attributes of the junior high school as proposed early in the twentieth century.Recommendations for further study included research to determine the actual effectiveness of the eighteen attributes, surveys of junior high schools to compare junior high school practices and middle school practices regarding the eighteen attributes, and surveys to determine why middle school attributes are or are not adopted.

This study examined one teacher’s experience with teaching a ninth grade literacy course. In response to consecutively low reading test scores, the administration in a rural high school in South Central Kentucky established a literacy course for all ninth grade students. This research illustrates the teacher’s implementation and instruction of that course. In addition, the research investigates how the results of a formal reading assessment might be used to improve the reading course in the future.

The purpose of this thesis is to identify the implications of Paulo Freire's philosophy for education in North America. To appreciate fully the value of Freire's philosophy, this study will review six themes which are commonly found throughout his work and are significant for education. The implications of his ideas will be identified by reviewing specific case-studies conducted in the United States and Canada. / Freire's ideas are developed within the context of Latin American societies. Elements of oppression and injustice in his homeland differ from the dehumanizing elements in North America. Yet, his insistence upon reflection and action as a means to emancipate people from social and political oppression has direct implications for education in the United States and Canada. North American educators have adopted, modified, and applied Freire's methodology with remarkable results.