The first step in developing or updating a licensure or certification examination is to conduct a job or task analysis. Following completion of the job analysis, a survey validation study is performed to validate the results of the job analysis and to obtain task ratings so that an examination blueprint may be created. Psychometricians and job analysts have spent years arguing over the choice of scales that should be used to evaluate job tasks, as well as how those scales should be combined to create an examination blueprint. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between individual and composite rating scales, examine how that relationship varied across industries, sample sizes, task presentation order, and number of tasks rated, and evaluate whether examination blueprint weightings would differ based on the choice of scales or composites of scales used. Findings from this study should be used to guide psychometricians and job analysts in their choice of rating scales, choice of composites of rating scales, and how to create examination blueprints based upon individual and/or composite rating scales. A secondary data analysis was performed to help answer some of these questions. As part of the secondary data analysis, data from 20 survey validation studies performed during a five year period were analyzed. Correlations were computed between 29 pairings of individual and composite rating scales to see if there were redundancies in task ratings. Meta-analytic techniques were used to evaluate the relationship between each pairing of rating scales and to determine if the relationship between pairings of rating scales was impacted by several factors. Lastly, sample examination blueprints were created from several individual and composite rating scales to determine if the rating scales that were used to create the examination blueprints would ultimately impact the weighting of the examination blueprint. The results of this study suggest that there is a high degree of redundancy between certain pairs of scales (i.e., the Importance and Criticality rating scale are highly related), and a somewhat lower degree of redundancy between other rating scales; but that the same relationship between rating scales is observed across many variables, including the industry for which the job analysis was being performed. The results also suggest the choice of rating scales used to create examination blueprints does not have a large effect on the finalized examination blueprint. This finding is especially true if a composite rating scale is used to create the weighting on the examination blueprint.

Significance: This study provides the first systematic needs assessment of a U.S. business region to determine if businesses want international skills taught in community college technical and occupational programs. Without this assessment, community college leaders and faculty are not able to determine whether they are adequately preparing students in these skills to be successful in tomorrow's fast paced, mobile and integrated global workforce. Research Aims: 1. Conduct a needs assessment to determine whether international skills were considered important for employment entry or movement 2. Determine where businesses obtain international skills training. 3. Garner business recommendations for the improvement of international skills education in community college technical and occupational programs. Research Questions: 1. What international skills do surveyed U.S. business and industry executives believe are important for the sub-baccalaureate technical/occupational employees that they hire and promote? 2. How do surveyed U.S. business and industry executives engage their companies' sub-baccalaureate technical/occupational employees in international skills training programs? 3. How do surveyed business and industry executives think U.S. community college technical/occupational degree programs should change with respect to their international skills objectives? Methods: This study utilized a researcher created and empirically validated survey and two focus groups. The survey was sent to 1,920 businesses randomly sampled from Tampa Bay's 64,000 businesses. Response data from 145 returned questionnaires were analyzed and then discussed by business and community college focus groups. Findings: 1. Appreciation of Cross Cultural Differences and Foreign Language Skills were rated significantly (p< [or] = .05) higher higher in importance than other international skills. 2. Businesses utilize in-house trainers more often than any other type of training resource for international training. Community Colleges are rarely used as a training resource for international skills. 3. Community colleges should investigate whether to increase their academic outreach to businesses, mandate foreign language training in programs, and emphasize learning about other world areas in the curriculum. 4. Nation-wide surveys of Fortune 500 firms to determine international business practices and training needs may not translate to regional business communities.

The present study aimed to assess the current affordances for physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) in after-school child care. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable online survey to assess the affordance of PA and HE in Canadian after-school childcare settings. A two-stage instrument validation procedure was implemented. Stage 1 was an instrument review (n=5) to create the Canadian Healthy After School Environments (CHASE) survey and an expert review (n=7) to establish logical validity of its items and components. Stage 2 was a comparison of the self-administered CHASE survey with existing observation tools to establish concurrent validity and test retest to establish its reliability in 20 after-school child care programs on Vancouver Island (n=20). Observation tools included the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO), an audit of the facility environment, staff behaviours, and snacks and activities observed, and the Physical Activity Observation Recording Sheet (PAORS), a scan of the physical activity intensity and facilitation of each child during each minute of activity. Pearson correlations were calculated for subscales and items on CHASE, EPAO and PAORS to establish validity. Percent agreement and intra-class correlations (ICCs) between CHASE T1 and T2 scores were calculated to establish reliability. The results indicated that CHASE T1 Social HE Environment subscale significantly correlated with 5 objective measures: EPAO-measured proportion of time in PA (r=0.715, p<.001); total PA minutes (r=0.680, p=.001); total outdoor PA (r=0.521, p=.018); total sedentary behaviour (r=-0.580, p=.009); and PAORS-measured total PA minutes (r=0.631, p=.003). CHASE T1 HE Total subscale also significantly correlated with these objective measures: EPAO-measured proportion of time in PA (r=0.450, p=.047); total PA minutes (r=0.565, p=.009); total outdoor PA (r=0.517, p=.020); total sedentary behaviour (r=-0.577, p=.010); and PAORS-measured total PA minutes (r=0.514, p=.020). Other significant correlations were found between EPAO total outdoor PA and CHASE T1 Physical HE Environment subscale (r=0.501, p=.024), as well as EPAO total minutes of television and CHASE T1 PA Practices subscale (r=-0.459, p=.042). Other CHASE subscales were not significantly correlated with objective PA measures. Significant correlations between CHASE and EPAO subscales were found for Social PA Environment (r=0.664, p=.001) and HE Total (r=0.553, p=.040). The remaining correlations between CHASE and EPAO subscales were not significant. ICCs indicated strong reliability for all CHASE subscales, excluding Social PA Environment, Social HE Environment, PA Practices. ICCs indicated strong reliability for all CHASE sections, excluding HE Environment and Policies. Average percent agreement calculations indicated high reliability for CHASE Environment Total (Mean=84.42, SD=7.02), PA Total (Mean=75.43, SD=10.29), HE Total (Mean=83.70, SD=3.42) and Overall Total section scores (Mean= 81.18, SD=5.56). The CHASE survey has the potential to increase the feasibility of assessing the physical activity and healthy eating environment in after-school child-care programs in many sites across Canada. These findings highlight that it is reliable and that some of the subscales and items have concurrent validity. More work has to be done to explore why certain subscales and items lacked validity and to compare CHASE to directly measured physical activity using accelerometers. / Graduate / 0573 / 0570 / 0680 / toshalobsinger@me.com

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Because of disunity among prominent professional learning community (PLC) authors, experts, and researchers, the literature was studied to develop a ten-element model that represents a unified and reconceptualized list of characteristics of a PLC. From this model, the Learning Community Culture Indicator (LCCI) was developed to measure professional learning community (PLC) implementation levels based on the ten-element model. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to determine the structural validity of the LCCI. Factor analyses provided successful levels of fit for the models tested in representing the constructs of the LCCI. Reliability measures also indicated high levels of internal consistency among the responses to the survey items. Although some items and elements had moderate levels of fit and need additional revisions and validity testing, the LCCI produced substantial evidence that this survey was a valid and reliable instrument in measuring levels of PLC implementation across the ten elements. Because this research validated the LCCI, school leaders can implement, monitor, and diagnose elements of PLCs in their schools. The LCCI also provides a method in which future research can be conducted to empirically support the influence of PLCs and student achievement. Potential uses and recommendations for further research and consideration are presented. A call for more empirical research is made in connecting the PLC reform model to improved student learning. The theory of PLC is at a point of substantiation and growth. The LCCI is recommended as potential tool for studying and facilitating the implementation of PLCs in schools.

<p dir="ltr">This dissertation explores the intricate dynamics between the self-perceptions of undergraduate mathematics (UM) educators and their conceptions of excellent teaching practices conducive to student learning. Employing a sequential mixed methods approach, the study addresses two primary research questions. First, it investigates educators' self-perceptions within the realm of UM teaching, examining potential variances based on educators' Professional Status and Educational Institution (PSEI) affiliations and experience levels. Second, it delves into educators' perspectives on aspects of excellent UM teaching, scrutinizing potential disparities rooted in PSEI affiliations and experience levels, while also exploring the manifestations of Mathematics Teachers' Specialized Knowledge (MTSK) and teaching self-concept within these descriptors.</p><p dir="ltr">Drawing upon Shavelson's self-concept (1976) framework and Carrillo and colleagues' (2018) MTSK framework, data collection involved a Likert-style questionnaire augmented by open-ended inquiries, followed by qualitative case studies featuring eight participants from diverse Carnegie classifications. Findings demonstrate educators' overall confidence in their teaching abilities, with notable discrepancies observed among educators from associate's colleges and doctoral universities. Through thematic analysis, key dimensions of excellent teaching emerged, including active learning, student engagement, problem-solving, and positive learning environments.</p><p dir="ltr">This study yields implications for educational practice and institutional policy. Educators can leverage identified themes to inform professional development initiatives tailored to enhance UM teaching effectiveness. Furthermore, the validated instrument offers institutions a means to assess educators' confidence levels, facilitating targeted support within mathematics departments.</p><p dir="ltr">In conclusion, this dissertation contributes valuable insights into the multifaceted interplay between educators' self-perceptions, teaching practices, and student learning outcomes within the context of UM instruction.</p>