Kerensky, Vasil M.

The American Nurses Association supports professional continuing education, of which one part is self-directed learning, as essential for maintaining competency in nursing practice and safety of the consumers of health care. The increasing complexities of nursing practice demand that nurses be continuous life-long learners. Nurses licensed in the State of Florida are mandated to earn professional continuing education credit as a condition of relicensure. Self-directed learning is one option for earning professional continuing education credit. This study investigated readiness for self-directed learning among Florida nurses (registered nurses and licensed practical nurses) using Guglielmino's Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) and several variables including educational preparation, position, practice specialty, and use of self-directed learning projects as a method of earning professional continuing education credit. This study also sought to determine professional continuing education preferences among the nurses, including preferred method of learning for earning professional continuing education credit, influences on choice of continuing education offering, number of hours of professional continuing education completed in various learning activities, and awareness of the option of submitting self-directed learning projects to the Florida Board of Nursing for Credit. Six central research questions were posed. Findings included: (1) a significant difference of SDLRS scores between registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in Florida; (2) no significant difference between the mean SDLRS scores among registered nurses having different levels of education, and (3) lack of significant relationship between preference for self-directed learning as a means of learning for earning professional continuing education credit and SDLRS scores. It appears likely that this outcome is related to the finding that 89% of the respondents were unaware of the option of earning professional continuing education credit through self-directed learning. Recommendations for further research include: (1) replication of this study with a revised preference for professional continuing education survey and a larger sample, (2) exploration of the reasons for higher SDLRS scores among bachelor of science prepared nurses, (3) determination of the frequency, quality, and quantity of practice-related self-directed learning, and (4) development of strategies to publicize the option of self-directed learning for professional education as described by the Florida Board of Nursing.

Black males in the United States and Florida are falling behind other groups in almost every measurement of academic success. Inadequate preparation in high school often discourages them from seeking postsecondary education, and reduces their chances of obtaining gainful employment. This study compared the variables which can predict academic success (number of college preparation courses, high school GPA, class rank, and standardized test scores) of black males with that of other racial populations and gender. The sample was limited to seniors who graduated in 1994 from the Broward County public schools and attempted the Florida college entry-level placement test. The study used a causal comparative research design. The null hypothesis was tested using a MANOVA to simultaneously study the multiple dependent variables (factors used to predict college success) by race and gender. If there were differences, an ANOVA was used to test for statistical difference in each dependent variable individually. Results indicate that there are significant differences in the potential for success when race and gender were considered. The Wilks's Lambda for gender had a value of.85 (p <.001), and a value of.82 (p <.001) for race. Verbal and math mean scores on the SAT revealed that black female students earned the lowest scores, followed by black male students. The findings further showed that black males had the lowest grade point average and attempted fewer college preparatory courses when compared to other racial groups and gender. Black males had the second lowest class rank at the time of graduation (Hispanic males had the lowest class rank).

The purpose of this study was to determine the actual job responsibilities of the assistant principal in the elementary school of Dade County Public School System as perceived by the teachers, principals, and assistant principals employed in the elementary schools of Dade County, Florida. After a review of literature, a questionnaire was developed by the author which was based on the writings by authorities in the field of elementary school administration and other areas of education. The questionnaire encompassed the Florida Principal Competencies and the Dade County Performance Appraisal. Data were obtained from the sixty-item questionnaire with a Likert-type scale for the participants to indicate their perception as to the level of importance each item had to the responsibilities of the assistant principals. These perceptions, of the teachers and the principals, the teachers and the assistant principals; and the principals and the assistant principals were compared. The hypotheses tested were (1) no significant differences existed in perceptions of the assistant principal's responsibilities as perceived by teachers and principals, (2) no significant differences existed in perceptions of the assistant principal's responsibilities as perceived by teachers and assistant principals, and (3) no significant differences existed in perceptions of the assistant principals and principals. A Chi-Square analysis of responses was used to determine significant relationships in each of the comparisons. The questionnaire was mailed to all 180 elementary schools in Dade County. One hundred eighty-seven teachers, eighty-six principals, and 117 assistant principals responded to the questionnaire, making a total of 390 or 54 percent. Findings of the study suggest that there were significant differences in the perceptions of the responsibilities of the assistant principal presented in the research and that attention should be given to these issues by those who write the job description and structure the job responsibilities. Perceptions of the job by the person performing the job as well as those related to the job impact how the activities are carried out and how the job performance contributes to the total school program.

Migrant children are one of the most educationally deprived groups of children in America. They include children from all ethnic groups: Black, White Mexican, Oriental and Indian, who lead a kind of transitory life that places great limitation on feelings of security and stability. Educators cannot control or dictate the mobility patterns of these children. But educators can design special programs and structure the learning environment so that the transitory life style of these children is less disruptive to their educational achievement. The problem involved in this study was to determine the effectiveness of a reading tutorial program designed and implemented for underachieving migrant students. The purposes of this study were to describe a model for designing and implementing a reading tutorial program and then to test the effectiveness of the program by assessing the reading gains made by participating migrant students. This study was limited to migrant students enrolled in five elementary schools located on the Southwestern coast of Florida in the agricultural belt. The review of literature focused on existing reading programs designed for migrant and other educationally deprived students. Most of the special reading programs that were researched indicated that educationally deprived children tend to increase in reading achievement when programs and materials are structured to accommodate their social, cultural and educational needs. In view of these studies, it was hypothesized that: Given the benefit of personalized and individualized instruction in a reading tutorial program, migrant students, grades two through five, would demonstrate a mean gain of one and one-half months' gain per twenty hours of instruction in reading achievement. The Silvaroli Classroom Reading Inventory was the instrument selected for the pretesting and posttesting of students because it has shown to correlate highly in judging the reading achievement of groups of individuals('1). This instrument was utilized to measure the reading gains by obtaining a gain score. The gain score ratio was computed by dividing the gain in months by the number of months of instruction received. Students attended tutorial sessions in groups of threes for approximately sixty minutes daily, five days a week. A diagnostic prescriptive technique was used, whereby each student was provided with one-to-one instruction, fifteen to twenty minutes each day. The results of the findings indicated that in terms of program effectiveness, the group of students, grades two through five, demonstrated a mean gain of 4.0 months' gain per month (twenty hours) in the program. The data collected clearly indicated that the tutorial concept, as organized and implemented, produced substantial improvement in reading skills with migrant students previously exhibiting reading deficiencies as measured by the Silvaroli Classroom Reading Inventory. ('1)Joe Peterson, M. Jean Greenlaw and Robert J. Tierney, "Assessing Instructional Placement with the IRI: The Effectiveness of Comprehension Questions," Journal of Educational Research (May/June, 1978):247-50

Learning styles are unique to each student entering the learning environment, yet many educators assume that students will in fact learn from a single method of teaching. Dunn and Dunn (1999) define learning styles as "the way individuals begin to concentrate on, process and remember new and difficult information." Studies involving health science students have been conducted, yet few authors have addressed this issue in the radiography literature. In this study, the learning styles of radiography students were examined and compared to determine the differences between the incoming freshmen and the graduating sophomores. The Dunn, Dunn and Price Productivity Environmental Preference Survey (PEPS) was used to study 617 college students, the sample was 80% female with an average age of 28 years. Both freshmen and sophomore groups demonstrated preferences for structured learning activities with authority figures present. They prefer learning with peers in activities scheduled during morning and afternoon hours. These students want mobility in the learning environment and prefer intake of food or beverage while concentrating. Both groups have overall perceptual preferences for auditory learning, followed closely by tactile learning. Perceptual learning strengths for the combined group of radiography students proved to be quite different from the general population, 35% had a strong preference for auditory learning methods, 28% had a strong need for tactile learning methods, 8% were kinesthetic learners and 5% visual learners. The perceptual learning styles of the general population are 30% auditory, 40% visual, 15% tactile, and 15% kinesthetic (Dunn, 1999). It is these unique characteristics of the larger group that may be most useful to educators when considering learning style principles in the broadest sense. These findings also may account for some degree of attrition found in radiography programs, since it has been previously reported that tactile and kinesthetic learners are at the greatest risk for dropping out of formal education and 36% of radiography students fall into that high risk category. Slight differences between the student groups exist; however, learning style variables were not useful in predicting success in radiography education.

Admission criteria for the selection of students are determined by educational institutions. Presently, no objective instrument is used consistently as a predictor of successful nursing program completion (Haglund, 1978). The nursing department in the community college in this study utilizes the prerequisite college grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test for admission into the school of nursing. Admission into the associate degree nursing program is based solely on these two criteria. The purpose of this study was to assess the merit of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal as a pre-admission criterion in conjunction with the currently utilized admission criteria of the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League of Nursing pre-admission test. The research question of this study was: Can the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal be utilized along with the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test in a prediction formula for success in the Associate Degree Nursing Program? Data were collected from 192 associate degree nursing students. The setting was a community college in southeastern Florida that is currently accredited by the National League for Nursing. The subjects completed the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal at the beginning of the associate degree program. Data from students' records revealed the college prerequisite grade point average and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test scores. A discriminant analysis was computed to determine the significance of the prediction formula of Y1 = c + b1 X + b2 X2+ b3 X3. The dependent variable was the nursing grade point average. The independent variables were the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal; the college prerequisite grade point average; and the National League for Nursing pre-admission test score (F = 14.847; df = 191; p < .001). The predictor variables of college prerequisite grade point average, National League for Nursing pre-admission test score, and the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal score were significant in predicting success in the associate degree nursing program as measured by the dependent variable nursing grade point average. The prediction formula as a whole had a significance level p < .001, thereby rejecting the null hypothesis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceptions of NCAA Division III male and female athletic administrators regarding gender equity in athletics at their institutions. A further comparison of perceptions was made between the administrators of this study and administrators of similar studies, Finally, a comparison was made between the perceptions of current athletic administrators and data presented by the most recent NCAA gender equity study. Data on individual perceptions of equity were obtained through a mail-out survey sent to a random sampling of 270 individuals in 135 NCAA Division III schools. Of the four hypotheses tested, two were rejected and two failed to be rejected (Alpha = .05). When a series of T-tests and an analysis of variance were performed, significant differences were found at the .05 level. Results indicated that 71% or more of the respondents perceived equity in 13 of the 14 individual items surveyed. No significant difference was found for age. Females perceived less equity than males in all factors. For changes over the last two or three years, both genders indicated females were favored. For all other tested items, when an advantage was perceived, the advantage favored males. Seventy-eight percent of the athletic administrators in this study indicated that they perceived their programs to have attained overall gender equity. The most recent NCAA gender equity data, while indicating some progress toward equity, does not support the perceptions of the administrators in this study.

Teaching methods that are effective with some students, fail with other students, because students perceive and process information differently. The personal preference by which one perceives and processes new material is called one's learning style. Using the Dunn and Dunn Learning Style Inventory assessment instrument, the learning style perceptual preference of 262 seventh grade students from a large, urban, middle school in southeast Florida were identified. This research investigated the effects of teaching mathematics to the preferred perceptual preference of these students in terms of academic achievement. Four teachers were trained in the Dunn and Dunn learning style teaching model to acquaint them with the experimental treatment used in this study. A pretest-posttest design was used to observe the mean gain in achievement scores on a 25-element assessment between students taught using a traditional teaching format and those taught in the learning style treatment approach. All students in the experimental group were first introduced to new mathematics material with a global story and taught in their primary learning style perceptual preference: (a) auditory, (b) tactile, (c) kinesthetic, or (d) visual. The material was reinforced through their secondary preference and a creative, student-constructed project was shared with the classmates. Several two-way factorial analyses of variance were used to study the treatment effect on the dependent variable. Neither the main effect for treatment nor the interactions between treatment and demographic variables (race, gender, learning styles) were significant at the.05 level. Within the context of this study, teaching through a student's perceptual learning style preference does not appear to be significantly more effective than teaching in a traditional manner.

The purpose of this study was to determine if 4MAT training had an impact on teachers' attitudes towards students' behaviors associated with creativity. Specifically, this study analyzed the relationship between the dependent variable of attitude toward creativity, and the independent variables of levels of training, grade level, years of teaching experience, and subject area. A sample of 459 subjects consisted of an experimental (N = 310) and control group (N = 149). The experimental group received either Fundamental 4MAT training or both Fundamental and Intermediate training, while the control group received no intervention. The Ideal Child Checklist (ICC), developed by Torrance (1975), was used as a pre- and posttest measure to determine change in attitude following treatment. Responses on the ICC were tallied to create a single score on the instrument. Statistical methods used to analyze the data consisted of (a) a t-test to compare 4MAT with controls by calculating the difference between pre- and posttest scores, (b) a one-way analysis of covariance to compare level of training, and (c) a two-way analysis of covariance to compare levels of training with independent demographic variables. Five hypotheses were developed to determine if 4MAT training had an impact on attitudes and the aforementioned variables. All hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. Based on the findings of this study, none of the demographic variables had a significant relationship to change in attitude towards creativity, beyond what could normally be expected by chance. However, the 4MAT group had a statistically significant higher attitude score than the control group, t(147) = 6.29, p <.001, and there was a statistically significant difference between groups for control and levels of training, F(2, 307) = 35.46, p <.001.

This study explored the predictive accuracy of three, two-group linear discriminant function equations. The grouping or criterion variables employed were scores from the three sections (math, reading, and writing) of the Computerized Placement Test (CPT). The predictor variables used were gathered from the academic history for each case. These variables ranged from the GPA in grade eight, through the normal-curve-equivalent test scores in both math and reading from the Grade Ten Assessment Test (GTAT), and included several actual GPAs achieved in science and math courses at all three levels of difficulty in high school (Appendix A). The data set was built from 16 variables derived from the academic history of 432 graduates of the Broward County public schools in 1994. Each of these cases was found to have had a pass/fail score on the Florida Entry-Level-Placement Test (CPT) at Broward Community College. All three discriminant function equations were examined to determine if the models were statistically significant and reliable, or consistently repeatable, using both a leave-one-out analysis, and a hold-out estimate analysis. The degree to which the models performed better than proportional chance was also investigated. The results of the three, two group discriminant equations built from the predictor variables and the grouping variables have implications for high school counselors. These data indicated a better prediction for students who do not pass (90.4%) the CPT than for those who do pass (48.8%) the entry-level placement test at Broward Community College. The external analyses (leave-one-out and hold-out) show some reduction in predicting accurately; but, as demonstrated by the Z class summary, still are predicting at a significant level for the samples with the exception of the CPTRJ hold-out method for the non-selected group. For high school counselors, then, this research was designed to encourage early examination of particular data sets for the purpose of predicting success on the Florida entry-level placement test. Successful course selection can assist students gain access to college.