The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) program on cadets in the program and to determine the extent to which it was effective in achieving its stated goals of promoting patriotism, discipline, leadership, respect for authority, and knowledge of the U.S. Navy. The study specifically sought to address the question of why high school students join and remain in NJROTC, and the sub-questions of what aspects of the NJROTC program are associated with participation; what are the characteristics of high school students who participate in NJROTC; what experiences prior to involvement in NJROTC are associated with participation; and what aspects of NJROTC are associated with intent to remain as participants. A 49-item survey instrument was designed, content validated, and administered to 223 NJROTC cadets in three Virginia high schools. Descriptive statistics and Chi Square analysis were used to answer the research questions. Primary results indicated that joining NJROTC was associated more with personal contacts (friends, teachers, and school administrators) than with broad based Navy efforts such as radio and magazine advertising. Cadets indicated NJROTC involvement was associated with improved grades, better self concept, increased desire for leadership, maturity, and awareness of need for community service. The highest portion of cadets were clustered in lower grades (9th and 10th) and apparent attrition was most pronounced in the urban school with high minority enrollment. Over 40% of the respondents indicated plans to engage in a military career after graduation. / Ed. D.

Literature illustrates that work attitudes and work behaviors of young agricUltural workers are of major concern to employers, even exceeding their concern about academic skills students bring to the work environment. Little consistency is found in the research about the relationships of various factors to work attitudes and work behaviors of agricUltural education students. The primary purpose of this study was to examine work attitUdes and work behaviors of students in secondary agricultural education programs in selected counties in Virginia and to assess the relationships and predictive value of certain variables to work attitudes and work behavior. The independent variables were gender, academic skills (reading, mathematics, and writing), supervision, work variety, nature (importance) of job, relationship of work and school, and learning on the job. Survey methods were used to collect the data. The study participants consisted of 477 sophomore, junior, and senior students from three rural counties in Virginia. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Factor analysis of the work attitude statements resulted in identification of three factors which were named cynicism about work, intrinsic motivation about work, and extrinsic motivation about work. Factor analysis of work behavior statements resulted in a single factor that had to do with honest behavior on the job. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to adapt and validate the Technology Attitude Scale (TAS) for use by American teachers at the middle school level. The study provided an instrument for American middle school teachers to determine students' attitudes toward technology and concepts of technology. The Technology Attitude Scale (TAS) , an adaptation of a Dutch instrument consisting of three sections, was used to collect descriptive information. The first section of the instrument obtained demographic information about the respondents including: (1) age (2) grade level (3) gender (4) school location (rural, urban) (5) respondents involvement with technology education. The second section obtained information about students' attitudes toward technology. There were 26 items divided over 6 subscales, (interest, role pattern, consequences, difficulty, curriculum, and career). Students responded by using a five choice Likert-type scale with 3 to 5 items per subscale. The third section obtained information about the students' concept of technology, measuring cognitive or knowledge aspects based on 5 generally accepted characteristics of the concept technology. There were 28 items divided over 4 subscales, (technology and society, technology and science, technology and skills, and technology and pillars). Content validity was determined through a Panel of Experts consisting of five individuals with expertise in middle school education. The study population included five middle schools in Virginia. It consisted of a Pilot Study (N = 48) and a Large Group Administration (N =185). Statistical analysis included reliability measures using Cronbach's homogeneity coefficient alpha (Attitude Scales) and KuderRichardson 20 (Concept Scales) with attention to demographic information. Both the Attitude Scales (overall correlation .81) and the Concept Scales (overall correlation .83) met the minimum criterion (.60). The Technology Attitude Scale (TAS) has been adapted and validated for use by American teachers at the middle school level. / Ph. D.

Master of Science

The outline of lessons in animal production, as made in the following pages, was planned with two aims in view: first, to suggest a skeleton for a lesson in each phase of livestock which should be taught in Virginia; and second, to suggest to the agricultural instructors some of the best textbooks and bulletins which can be used to advantage in working out the daily lessons. / Master of Science