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This dissertation discusses the intersection of first-year composition instructors and Appalachian language and culture at the two-year college level. Very little of the existing literature discusses pedagogy as it pertains to Appalachian students, and virtually none of the literature focuses on either instructors or the two-year college. This study attempts to address that gap and to explore the attitudes about Appalachia that accompany the teaching of writing in two-year colleges in agricultural (as opposed to coal) Appalachia. This study finds that professors express very negative ideas about Appalachian culture and language, and sometimes about Appalachian students themselves. These attitudes do not, however, contribute dramatically to differences in grades and pass/fail rates for the region as a whole. Appalachian students overall are slightly more likely to fail and less likely to make A grades. The more surprising finding, perhaps, is that students from certain either highly stigmatized or highly isolated communities are far less likely to pass the courses, with failure rates between 50-68%. These rates are far higher than non-Appalachian failure rates, and substantially higher than the rates for non-stigmatized communities and do, perhaps, stem from their instructors' inherent biases. The privileging of standard academic English above other Englishes informs the teaching of every respondent in this study and invites a consideration of how a more rhetorical approach to composition pedagogy might change outcomes for Appalachian students in writing classes and in college itself. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation examines the attitudes of composition professors at the two-year college level toward Appalachian language and culture to determine if there is a correlation between professors' beliefs and students' grades and success rates. First-year composition courses are required of all students at the community college level, and these courses are designed to prepare students for the kinds of writing expected of them in college, both at the two-year level and after they transfer to four-year institutions. The study determined through interviews that professors tend to stigmatize both language and culture, but these attitudes do not necessarily result in a higher failure rate for students. While Appalachian students are 16% more likely to fail and 17% less likely to earn A grades, they still pass first-year composition courses at roughly the same rate as their non-Appalachian peers. The more successful students, however, are those who are willing to code-switch—that is, to exchange their Appalachian English for standard academic English. The study also determined that students who participate in incentivized tuition reimbursement plans (like the Access to Community College Education program) are more likely to be successful in composition courses and in college in general.

A study was conducted to gather information from department chairs serving in the 26 two-year colleges that are members of the North Texas Community College Consortium using the International Community College Chair Survey (ICCCS). The ICCCS is designed to gather insights into four aspects of the chairs' professional lives: personal characteristics, responsibilities challenges, and strategies. The study compared the demographic data and the respondents' perceptions of the challenges their units will face in the next 5 years to the original survey conducted in 1992. The regional sample included 616 first-line administrators, and a 30.5% response rate was achieved. The demographic distribution of the regional respondents shows significant shifts in gender, age, education, experience and release time but constancy in race and stability of the population. Similarities between the two samples exist regarding the challenges of maintaining program quality, providing technology, and managing financial issues. The regional sample expresses greater concern about the challenges of distance education, external accountability, and student matters.

In this case study, I examine the graduation patterns of students attending Chief Dull Knife College located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. While comparing the characteristics of students attending this college with that of two-year colleges nationally and tribal schools throughout the nation, we begin to understand the unique situation that this community faces. With the use of logistic and linear regressions, I explored the characteristics of those who graduate and ask the question, who graduates and what makes them unique? This study found that the credits attempted per semester, the number of credits they earned divided by the number of credits they attempted, and the number of semesters enrolled were the most significant factors. Using the information collected from the literature review, this study then used linear regressions to explore the effects of the initial variables on these three significant variables.

The diploma thesis is focused on the economic development of Czechoslovakia after 1945 up to the political takeover in 1948, when communists finally assumed power. The work offers the view of Czech economy influenced by the experience of the Great Depression in the 1930s, occupation and the transformation of economic thinking in Europe. The main concern is to answer the questions to what extend the post-war reconstruction was successful, what the political conditions of the changes in our economy were and which economic results they produced. The land reform, final solution of German question by the expulsion of Germans, nationalisation of industry, codification of two-year economic plan and refusal of the Marshall plan are considered to be the key points. The allience with the Soviet Union played an important role too. The main conclusion of the work is that, in Czechoslovakia, the successful transformation from war economy to a mixed economy, in which the main role of the state was supplemented by a private sector, was accomplished. The existence of different alternatives of development, which could not be realized because of the increasing influence of communists in the government, is considered to be the key factor for the economic development in the years 1945-1948.

The purpose of this study was to compare the academic achievement of students in looping programs from school systems in East Tennessee to their peers in traditional one-year instructional programs. Looping is defined as any program design that perpetuates a cohesive student group with the same teacher for more than one year. The study included all students who had completed fourth grade in 2001 at every school in East Tennessee that implemented a third/fourth grade looping design. Student scores reported for 1999, 2000, and 2001 on the TerraNova Standardized Achievement Test were obtained from individual student records. Comparisons were made on the Total Reading, Total Language, Total Math, and Total Battery scores. Differences between program design groups (looping and traditional) on "pre-looping" second grade (1999) scores were assessed using t-tests for two independent groups. Two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), was used to examine the main effects of program design and student gender on 2000 and 2001 test scores, along with program design x gender interactions, while controlling for prior test score differences. The findings suggested that students in looping classrooms benefited academically by remaining with the same teacher and classmates for two successive years. Significant main effects were detected for program design in first year comparisons, as indicated by significantly higher scores on all four subtests. Scores for those in the looping classrooms remained significantly higher in second year comparisons on each subtest, except Total Language, even after controlling for third grade (2000) test scores. Significant main effects for gender were detected after the first year of participation in each design. This included significantly higher Total Language and Total Battery scores for female participants. No significant differences by gender were detected when scores were compared on the four subtests at the end of the two-year cycle. A program design x gender interaction was detected at the end of the first year. This interaction showed that female participants in looping classrooms showed higher Total Math achievement. A program design x gender interaction also occurred after the second year where male participants in the looping classrooms obtained higher Total Language scores.

Prior research has raised questions about different kinds of Music in General Studies (MGS) courses offered at two-year colleges, but few have addressed faculty perceptions related to student learning outcomes (SLO) and institutional missions. In principle, there is a demand on educational institutions to be accountable for SLOs, but two-year colleges present special accountability problems, because they serve multiple missions within each institution. MGS faculty perspectives can provide baseline data needed to demonstrate the ways in which MGS courses contribute to meeting the needs of students, the community, and the institutional missions. This study serves a broader goal of familiarizing readers with faculty perspectives on music education in two-year colleges. More specifically, it contributes to understanding how student learning outcomes of MGS courses are incorporated in light of blended missions as well as the challenges created by serving blended missions within a single music course. The following questions guide the research and focus on South Carolina, two-year college music faculty perspectives on MGS courses: (1) How do instructors of MGS courses describe the primary learning goals of students enrolled in MGS courses? (2) What student learning outcomes do instructors of MGS courses identify for measurement in their MGS courses? (3) How do the instructors' perceptions shape MGS content, textbook selection, and SLOs? (4) How are student learning outcomes measured in MGS courses? (5) How do instructors of MGS courses perceive the purpose of MGS within the institutional mission of their respective colleges? Following within case and cross case analysis of interview data, findings indicated that participants tended to emphasize "identifying the elements of music using correct terminology" as the most important SLO in MGS courses. All participants considered "performing music" the least important SLO. The majority reported their institutional missions as "blended" (transfer and vocational) and perceived MGS courses to be aligned with institutional missions.  

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This study investigated effects of selected demographic variables and styles of leadership on the self-perceived leader effectiveness scores of vocational administrators at two-year postsecondary institutions in Texas. Demographic variables were type of institution represented, teaching experience, age, trade experience, administrative experience in vocational education, highest degree earned, institutional enrollment and vocational enrollment. Seventy-eight administrators were mailed copies of the Leader Behavior Analysis II—Self (LBA) and a demographic questionnaire. The LBA contained twenty supervisory situations. Respondents were to select the alternative approach that most closely resembled action they might take. Scoring determined the respondents' primary leadership styles and leader effectiveness scores. One-way analysis of variance was used to determine if selected demographic variables or primary leadership style was significant in determining a difference in their effectiveness scores. Primary leadership style and degree held were significant in determining leader effectiveness scores at alpha .05. It was determined that 84 percent of the administrators completing the questionnaire preferred the supporting style. None of the administrators preferred delegating or directing styles. Recommendations included studies using the LBA with supervisors in associations serviced by the institutions to provide an understanding of relationships between the leadership style of the administrators of training institutions and those of the associations served. Additional studies should be done to ascertain any differences in the self-perception of the administrators' leadership style and perceptions of their subordinates. A final recommendation included the implementation of programs to assist administrators in the utilization of the broader situational leadership approach.