Phonological awareness is "the ability to phonologically segment, analyze, and synthesize the speech stream (p. 552)." The present study evaluated the effectiveness of two computer programs, Daisy Quest and Daisy's Dilemma, to provide phonological awareness training to poor readers. / Students from two local elementary schools participated in the experiment. 54 subjects were selected to participate in the study. These students were administered a series of pretests that assessed a variety of word reading skills, phonological awareness ability, and their general verbal ability. Subsequently, children were grouped into triplets on the basis of the word identification scores and then randomly assigned to one of three condition: (1) phonological awareness training (DQ), (2) phonological decoding (HH), and (3) computer control (C). Training was provided for approximately 25 minutes a day over the course of seven weeks. / A series of multivariate analyses of covariance were carried out to determine if there were mean differences in children's post test phonological awareness ability. Significant improvement was noted on three of the five measures of phonological awareness for those children receiving the phonological awareness training. More importantly, the children receiving the phonological awareness training made significant improvement in their ability to read real words. / It was concluded that both computer programs were successful in enhancing the phonological awareness skills of poor readers. In addition, the improvements in phonological awareness directly impacted the word identification skills of children who were struggling in their efforts learning to read. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: A, page: 4388. / Major Professor: Joseph K. Torgesen. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

This study investigated the relationship between individual and group efficacy in the performance of a group task. The main question asked in this inquiry was, "Under which efficacy conditions will there be maximum group performance?" More specific research questions asked are: (1) What is the relationship between self-efficacy and group efficacy with respect to group performance? (2) What is the relationship between the type of group interaction and group performance? (3) What is the result of the interaction among self-efficacy, group efficacy, and interaction? / The subjects were 156 introductory psychology students at a large southeastern university. A co-relational design with randomized assignment to interactive and non-interactive conditions was used. The task was to solve as many anagrams as possible in ten minutes from a list of 40 anagrams to obtain a group performance score. In the interaction condition, subjects worked together to solve the anagrams; whereas, in the non-interactive condition, they solved the anagrams individually. / The study revealed a significant relationship (r =.82, p $<$.001) between estimations of individual efficacy and estimations of group efficacy. There was no significant difference (p $<$.05) in group scores for the interactive and non-interactive conditions. However, a comparison of levels of interaction, high, medium, low, and none, revealed significant differences (p $<$.01) between levels of high and no interaction, as well as between high interaction and low interaction (p $<$.05). The group scores for the interactive and non-interactive conditions were not significantly different; however, a comparison of levels of interaction revealed significantly different means between high interaction time and no interaction time. This finding showed that length of interaction was an intervening variable in the interaction - performance relationship. / When age, gender, familiarity with group members, self-efficacy, group efficacy, and degree of interaction were entered in a regression analysis, self-efficacy and degree of interaction accounted for the preponderance of variation in group performance. The conclusion was that group performance was highly related to perception of individual efficacy and the degree of group interaction. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2306. / Major Professor: Gary Peterson. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Educators' and psychologists' interests in individualization of instruction are founded in the intuitively logical assertion that every individual has unique learning or cognitive characteristics which combine to require unique instruction. However, that intuitive assertion has met with mixed results when tested in empirical investigations. Research has moved from the exclusive manipulation of various components of the instruction to broader issues of matching these various components of instruction with various learner characteristics. / This study inspects the specific instructional component of learner control of sequencing of instruction and the specific learner characteristic of field dependency. Although both sequencing and field dependency have been studied for some time, a recently introduced technological innovation of computer-based instruction via hypertext programming allowed the collection of learner sequential pattern data that was previously not available. This study correlates those patterns with a field dependency measure and posttest achievement. / A hypertext-based computer assisted instructional program was used to present a lesson in Bloom's taxonomy to trainers from private and public institutes in Singapore. The hypertext program was designed to allow the subjects to explore the lesson in a flexible manner. The computer recorded each subject's unique sequential pattern through the lesson. / Subjects' patterns were compared to each other with the SPSS Runs and Logistic Regression procedures to determine pattern types. These pattern types were then compared to subjects' Group Embedded Figures Test of field dependency and posttest scores using the SPSS Analysis of Covariance and Analysis of Variance Least Significant Difference procedures. / The study found that there were significant relationships between the field dependency measure and pattern types. However, there were no significant relationships between the pattern types and posttest scores. Only subjects' level of education had a relationship to posttest scores. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-09, Section: A, page: 3149. / Major Professor: Marcy Driscoll. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Forty past and present career advisors in a university career center participated in an exploratory study of the relationship between the independent variable of career advisor conceptual level and the dependent variables of number of goals listed on an Individual Learning Plan (ILP), number of interventions listed on an ILP, amount of time needed to select career interventions, and the amount of additional information requested on a Follow-Up Questionnaire. Conceptual level was measured by the semi-projective instrument, the Paragraph Completion Method (PCM). The ILP used in this study was adapted from the ILP used by career advisors in this setting. The Follow-Up Questionnaire was created for this study and was partially validated in a pilot study. / A multivariate multiple regression technique was employed to analyze the overall significant relationship between the independent variable and dependent variables by testing for the significance of the regression of each dependent variable separately across the independent variable. / No significant relationship was found using the multivariate technique analysis. Additional T-test analysis found significant differences for gender for the variable of number of interventions selected. These findings are discussed along with other demographic characteristics in the supplemental findings. / The findings and limitations of this study, and their implications for career advisor training, service delivery and future research were also discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-11, Section: A, page: 3991. / Major Professor: Robert Reardon. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The growing prevalence of computers, tablets, and educational apps in academic settings has prompted many researchers to investigate the potential benefits and drawbacks of this technology. One of the ways that this technology can influence learning in the classroom is through note-taking. Note-taking in the classroom is intended to facilitate learning through deeper processing/encoding of information and providing external storage. The incorporation of technology in the classroom has offered students the ability to take notes beyond the use of traditional pen and paper (e.g., via laptop, tablet, etc.). This change in the classroom has led researchers to question both the benefits and drawbacks of note-taking with technology versus with traditional methods, such as pen and paper. This dissertation will investigate whether note-taking using a computer may impair learning relative to taking notes in a handwritten fashion across three experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 asked students to take notes on 20 arithmetic facts. These facts were either presented in the same format across the study and assessment phases (Experiment 1) or in a different format (Experiment 2). Learning was measured at two points in time (i.e., an immediate and delayed post-test, one week later). The results of these Experiments 1 and 2 indicate that taking notes with pen and paper and typing both led to a comparable performance for factual information when controlling for two factors known to impact learning (i.e., word count and verbatim note-taking). Given these results, the goal of the prospective experiment (Experiment 3) is to contrast these findings using conceptual and factual questions after participants have taken notes on a series of Ted Talks about mathematical information. Furthermore, this experiment will require participants to complete a post-assessment questionnaire to evaluate the note-taking strategies that they used. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2017. / April 10, 2017. / Implicit, Learning, Note-taking, Technology / Includes bibliographical references. / Gretchen L. Sunderman, University Representative; Wally R. Boot, Committee Member; Colleen M. Kelley, Committee Member; Arielle Borovsky, Committee Member.

The purpose of the current study is to provide evidence of the possible repercussions of different teacher certification pathways on student achievement that can inform policy in order to improve the instruction students receive. In the current context of accountability, and with a teacher's effectiveness often defined by his or her students' test scores, policies should be based on empirical evidence, and not just political or ideological perspectives (Cochran-Smith et al., 2012). I used a hierarchical linear model (HLM) to investigate the relationship between teachers' pathway to certification, experience, and effectiveness for fourth through eighth grade English Language Arts (ELA) and math teachers who received a certification to teach in the state of Florida and taught at only one school in the 2016-17 school year. All data were retrieved from FDOE. The study included 4,967 math teachers and 3,567 ELA teachers. Effectiveness was based on a Value-added model (VAM) score. The ELA and math VAM scores used in this analysis include the same predictor variables as those used by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). However, this analysis used a one-year aggregate score, while FDOE provides a suggested VAM category based on a three-year aggregate score and standard errors. The one-year aggregate was best suited for the current analysis because it standardizes the amount of years included for beginning and experienced teachers (the three-year aggregate can include anywhere from one to three years of teaching), and it allows teachers who have switched schools within the past three years to be included in the model. The analysis controlled for experience, the percentage of courses taught infield, and the number of general knowledge Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) and subject specific FTCE tests taken before passing at the teacher level, and school grades at the school level. No significant differences in teacher effectiveness in math were found for the different pathways. In ELA, however, there was a significant interaction between certification pathway and experience. Completers of District Professional Development Certification Programs (PDCP) were found to be more effective in ELA in their first three years of teaching than completers of the traditional Initial Teacher Preparation (ITP) programs or Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) programs. Findings provide evidence that allowing for alternative pathways to certification increases the number of effective teachers entering the workforce. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2018. / October 26, 2018. / certification, education, effectiveness, pathway, preparation, teacher / Includes bibliographical references. / Alysia D. Roehrig, Professor Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth M. Jakubowski, University Representative; Jeannine E. Turner, Committee Member; Qian Zhang, Committee Member.

This research investigated freshman college students' motivation beliefs and motivation regulation strategies (to manage their effort and persistence) in the context of an authentic college-level academic task such as studying for an exam. The unique elements of this research included the following: (a) studying exclusively freshmen students, (b) capturing their reported use of strategies in the context of a real academic task rather than hypothetical scenarios, (c) identifying whether students used different strategies while studying for their second test than their first test, and (d) identifying the most difficult motivational problems reported by students. The freshmen students' reported motivation beliefs (i.e., self-efficacy, task value, test anxiety), use of self-regulation (i.e., metacognitive) and motivation regulation strategies (i.e., Regulation of Performance, Environmental Structuring, Self-consequating, Regulation of Mastery Goals, Regulation of Value, Regulation of Situational Interest), and their end-of-course grades were gathered. This research was a Quantitative-Qualitative mixed-method (Creswell, 2003, 2008) study design with a time-series cross-sectional sampling of survey data. That is, I sampled multiple freshmen students (N=189) at two points in time to examine students' reported use of motivation regulation strategies (e.g., which ones were used, to what extent did they change their strategies). The quantitative data was analyzed by conducting descriptive, correlational, repeated measures t-tests, and hierarchical regression analyses. The purpose of the qualitative portion of the study design was to identify (a) additional strategies that students used, (b) their perceptions of motivational challenges with academic tasks, and (c) explanations of any changes made to exam studying behaviors. Overall, the goals of this mixed methodology study (quantitative and qualitative) were to address gaps in research findings related to (a) surveying more diverse populations; (b) measuring students' strategy use with an academic task, such as studying for an exam, rather than a hypothetical scenario; (c) replicating findings regarding relationships among a student's motivation beliefs (e.g., self-efficacy) and their use of self-regulated learning and motivation strategies; (d) adding findings regarding students' perceptions of the most difficult challenges to their studying; (e) adding findings about students changing strategy use between Time 1 and Time 2; and (f) replicating findings in relationships among motivation beliefs, self-regulated learning and motivation strategy use, and course grades. The results of this study added diversity of populations (freshmen only) and findings regarding strategy use while studying for an exam to the motivation regulation (MR) research. Freshmen students reported using motivation regulating strategies (MRSs) descriptively more frequently while studying for an exam than reported in hypothetical scenarios (Wolters & Benzon, 2013). Positive, strong and significant correlational relationships existed among students' self-efficacy beliefs, self-regulated learning (metacognitive) and MR strategy use; whereas, a weak yet significant, positive correlational relationships were found between students' reported test anxiety and their use of the following strategies: (a) self-regulated learning (metacognitive), (b) self-consequating, and (c) regulation of mastery goals. Students (72%) reported distractions in environment, time to study, or boredom as the most difficult challenges to overcome while studying. The repeated measures results indicated that students reported using strategies to regulate mastery goals less frequently from Time 1 to Time 2. The reasons given by students for changes in how they studied for Test 2 emphasized pursuing better grades for the test or course and improving their retention of the learned information. Lastly, the hierarchical linear regression analysis indicated that students' self-efficacy and use of regulating strategies for sustaining one's value of the content and mastery-oriented learning while studying were positive predictors of course grades. At least three implications for practice are appropriate for those who support student success. First, help students to identify their "performance" early in their freshman semester and year. Because a portion of the freshmen surveyed perceived grades on the first test as the primary stimulus for change in studying as well as sustaining motivation while studying, it would be effective for students to identify indicators of performance sooner rather than later. A second implication for practice is to help students to identify productive changes that will accomplish their desired test or course outcome. A third implication for practice is that increasing a students' belief in their ability to learn the content may be more likely to positively influence students' grade outcomes. An implication for research is to identify beliefs and study behaviors among more diverse student populations. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2018. / October 30, 2018. / Freshmen Study Behaviors, Metacognitive strategies, Motivational Beliefs, Motivation Research, Self-efficacy, Self-Regulated Learning / Includes bibliographical references. / Alysia Roehrig, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert Schwartz, University Representative; Jeannine Turner, Committee Member; Yanyun Yang, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness and efficiency of systematically designed materials using text alone, text augmented with normal speech (175 words per minute), and text augmented with compressed speech (262 words per minute). The study was designed to determine if systematically designed text augmented with compressed speech could increase the number of objectives achieved and reduce the actual amount of instructional time needed for mastery of the objectives. / The 78 subjects were from Florida vocational education programs located in five geographically dispersed schools. The materials were previously published as a part of a job skills training program. The research was conducted in individualized settings in the school media centers. The results indicated that the text augmented with compressed speech was equally effective and as efficient as text alone, and more efficient than text augmented with normal speech. A post-hoc analysis was conducted using instructional time as a variable. Systematically designed text augmented with compressed speech took significantly less time to complete than text augmented with normal speech. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-01, Section: A, page: 0143. / Major Professor: Walter W. Wager. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

The success of long term maintenance therapy for diabetes, as for persons with any chronic illness, depends largely on the extent to which they comply with their specific therapeutic regimen. Based on comprehensive reviews (Blackwell, 1976), no more than 50 percent of patients on long-term medication adhere to their prescribed regimen. For the diabetic this can result in severe complications or death. / In order to better understand the compliance process, researchers suggest that attention needs to be given to a variety of psychological factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the predictor variables of stress, health locus of control, social support, and health attitudes and beliefs and the criterion variable of compliance by Type I diabetics. / Eighty-seven Type I diabetics participated in this study. These subjects completed a series of self-report instruments to measure the predictor variables. The instruments used to measure these specific variables included the Hassles Scale (Kanner, Coyne, Schaefer, & Lazarus, 1981), the Schedule of Recent Events (Holmes & Rahe, 1967), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (Wallston & Wallston, 1978), the Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist (Schafer, McCaul, & Glasgow, 1986), and the Diabetes Health Belief Scale (Harris, Linn, Skyler, & Sandifer, 1987). The Three Day Inventory (Brogdon, Peterson, & Gill, 1987) and the Diabetes Compliance Instrument (Schlenk & Hart, 1984) was used to assess the criterion variable of compliance. / Canonical correlations were conducted to test whether a multivariate relationship existed between the predictor variables (stress, health locus of control, family support, and health beliefs and attitudes) and the three criterion variables (compliance to diet, medication, and exercise). These analyses revealed significant relationships between all sets of predictor and criterion variables with the exception of the health locus of control variable. Post hoc multiple regression analyses were conducted for each hypothesis that was found to be statistically significant. The results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that the following predictor variables were most important in predicting compliance: (a) perceived benefits (health beliefs and attitudes), (b) stress (as measured by the Hassles Scale) and, (c) negative family support. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-01, Section: A, page: 0099. / Major Professor: Gary W. Peterson. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

This study explored the relationship between learned helplessness, perceived family functioning and perceived family health among substance dependent and non-substance dependent adolescent males. A convenience sample of 51 substance dependent adolescents and 55 non-substance dependent adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 participated in this exploratory study. The three questionnaires and a demographic sheet were administered and collected during a one-time visit with each adolescent sample. The tests of the major hypotheses were found to be consistent with the intergenerational theories of family dysfunction. The findings indicated that among the substance dependent sample there was a significant relationship between the variables of learned helplessness, perceived family functioning and perceived family health. The findings further indicated that the substance dependent sample perceived themselves as more helpless, and perceived their families as less functional, as well as less healthy than the non-substance dependent sample. The results and their implications are discussed in the final chapter. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-10, Section: B, page: 4808. / Major Professor: Murray Krantz. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.