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- Title
- The effects of student participation in the cultural Spanish translation of the Student Success Skills program on high school student achievement.
- Creator
- Urbina, Ivett., College of Education, Department of Counselor Education
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Spanish cultural translation of the Student Success Skills (SCT-SSS) classroom program as a school counselor intervention for increasing Hispanic student academic achievement scores as measured by standardized mathematics and reading tests. The research question evaluated in this study was: "What is the effect of student participation in the SCT-SSS on student achievement of high school Hispanic students in...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Spanish cultural translation of the Student Success Skills (SCT-SSS) classroom program as a school counselor intervention for increasing Hispanic student academic achievement scores as measured by standardized mathematics and reading tests. The research question evaluated in this study was: "What is the effect of student participation in the SCT-SSS on student achievement of high school Hispanic students in reading and mathematics as measured by Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)"? The sample for this study included 352 Hispanic students in Grades 9 and 10 from two public high schools in south Florida. The treatment group included 166 students and the comparison group included 186 students. In order to be eligible for participation in this study, students had to meet three different criteria: (a) they identified themselves as Hispanic on their school registration form; (b) they were enrolled in a Spanish for Native Speakers foreign language elective course: and (c) they had Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (FCAT) pretest scores on the reading and math tests. A series of preliminary univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to determine if differences existed between participants on the FCAT reading and mathematics pretests Developmental Scale Scores (DSS). To control for grade level and English language learner (ELL) differences between study participants on pretest reading scores, a univariate analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted using the FCAT reading pretest DSS as the covariate. An overall effect size of the current study was +0.50 with a variance of 0.0060 (95% CI [0.35, 0.65])., The results for the overall math effect size was +0.32 with a variance of 0.0115 (95% CI [0.10, .53]), and the results for the overall reading effect sizewas +0.70 with a variance of 0.0127 (95% CI [.48, .93]). These effect sizes were statistically significificant at the.05 level. The results from this study demonstrated that the SCT-SSS classroom program is an effective intervention for increasing student achievement for high school Hispanic students. Students who received the SCT-SSS classroom program achieved greater gains when compared to students who did not receive the intervention.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3334099
- Subject Headings
- Achievement in education, School improvement programs, Children of immigrants, Education, Hispanic American children, Education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Emerging narratives of Native American, Asian American, and African American women in middle adulthood with an education doctorate degree.
- Creator
- Bamdas, Jo Ann, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to interpret the meaning found throughout the formal educational experience stories of Native American, Asian American, and African American women born after 1944, who had earned an education doctorate degree after 1976, and were working with adults in an educational capacity within the community. Utilizing the snowball technique, 14 participants from across the United States volunteered to collaborate with the researcher. The study...
Show moreThe purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to interpret the meaning found throughout the formal educational experience stories of Native American, Asian American, and African American women born after 1944, who had earned an education doctorate degree after 1976, and were working with adults in an educational capacity within the community. Utilizing the snowball technique, 14 participants from across the United States volunteered to collaborate with the researcher. The study's conceptual framework included adult learning principles and practices, Nussbaum's 'narrative imagination,' which were used to examine the women's motivation to participate in an education doctorate program as well as the barriers, the enhancers, and the application of the degree in the community. Data collected included an in-depth, face-to-face interview, two reflective narrative guides, document analysis, and researcher journals and analytic memos. All data was coded and analyzed with Atlas -ti 5.0 software, and thematic analyses completed in order to triangulate the data. Six major themes for motivation to participate were found: self-awareness through placement in the family, family and community expectation in importance of education, personal strengths and weaknesses, perceived differences in the classroom and mainstream society, and knowledge of motivation to pursue doctorate. Five barriers emerged: racism, gender, advisers, institutional changes and problems, and juggling multiple roles in limited time. Five main enhancers arose: family and community foundation, financial, friends, and others which motivated participation., The women applied their doctorates through leadership activities in community-based organizations such as role modeling, mentoring, and other scholarly activities which advocated "giving back culturally," which was the ultimate meaning or value of the degree; however, achievement and credibility were also valued a doctorate degree was "only step in the process." This study provided a space for rich descriptive storytelling about each woman's successful experience pursing and completing an education doctorate program. Adult learning discussion of the findings, contributions to the literature, and recommendations for graduate education and future research were included.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186326
- Subject Headings
- Achievement motivation, Minority women, Education (Higher), Educational equalization, Motivation in education, Education, Aims and objectives
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An empirical examination of the President as a policy entrepreneur: health care (1959-2004).
- Creator
- Smith, Skyler., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
My study focuses on oscillating political context to find what factors are conducive to the proposal and ultimate success of executive-generated, liberal health care policy. When it comes to initiating policy change, most of the existing literature concentrates on individuals in Congress or local level politicians. Beginning with the advent of the so-called "Modern Presidency" during the early years of the twentieth century, the President has increasingly played an active role in government,...
Show moreMy study focuses on oscillating political context to find what factors are conducive to the proposal and ultimate success of executive-generated, liberal health care policy. When it comes to initiating policy change, most of the existing literature concentrates on individuals in Congress or local level politicians. Beginning with the advent of the so-called "Modern Presidency" during the early years of the twentieth century, the President has increasingly played an active role in government, particularly with respect to legislation--he can be considered a "policy entrepreneur." I use data on variables from 1959 to 2004 and employ the Two-Stage Conditional Maximum Likelihood Model. I find that a more liberal President is likely to propose health care legislation that necessitates increased government involvement. I also determine that Congress is more likely to approve a liberal Presidential proposal when the government is unified and public opinion polls indicate people are more receptive to government intervention.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77692
- Subject Headings
- Health care reform, Medical policy, History, Political leadership, History, Presidents, History
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Employees' perception of employers' response after workplace injury.
- Creator
- Patrick, Nancy S., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to (a) explore the lived experiences of school district employees who have sustained on-the-job injuries with specific attention to employee perceptions of employer response after injury and (b) examine whether purposeful empathetic response from the employer after workplace injury was related to changes in employee perceptions of employer response. This study included both qualitative and quantitative methods. In Phase 1, the sample for the interviews included...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to (a) explore the lived experiences of school district employees who have sustained on-the-job injuries with specific attention to employee perceptions of employer response after injury and (b) examine whether purposeful empathetic response from the employer after workplace injury was related to changes in employee perceptions of employer response. This study included both qualitative and quantitative methods. In Phase 1, the sample for the interviews included nine workers from a large school district in South Florida who had active injury claims within two years before the study began. The Phase 1 findings were that the level of assistance and type of support received after reporting an injury varied among participants, despite working for the same employer; that the perceived response from the employer was more influential in affecting the participants' experience of workplace injury than participants' perception of the response of their coworkers; t hat the reaction from a majority of the school district employees (6 of 9) who were injured at work mirrored perceived employer response; and that more than half of the nine participants had unmet expectations of their employer with respect to how they were treated after experiencing workplace injury. In Phase 2, the 91 subjects that participated in the organizational response survey (See Appendix E and Appendix F) were employees from the same school district who were injured during an eight-week period. Data from three subscales (organizational support, return-to-work policies, and post-injury job satisfaction) on the survey instrument were compared between two groups., An experimental group received purposeful empathetic response from both the employer at the local school or department level as well as contact from the employer's Risk Management department. Analysis of variance was used to compare responses of the groups. A Bonferroni adjustment of .05/3 or .017 was applied: the result was non-significant. This finding suggests that purposeful, empathetic contact alone was not enough to significantly affect the participants' scores.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2978950
- Subject Headings
- Workers' compensation, Personnel management, Job security, Social aspects, Corporate culture, DIsability insurance claimants, Employment, Industrial accidents, Psychological aspects
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- English language learners in Florida: a dissertation about a legal and policy study of Florida's Multicultural Educaton Training and Advocacy (META) Consent Decree.
- Creator
- Rodriguez, Maria de L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to...
Show moreThe increasing number of English language learners (ELL) in Florida's public schools has brought challenges to educational leaders as they work to provide educational opportunity to these children. In 1990, several community and activist groups filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Education to pressure it to provide adequate English language programs in all public schools. The lawsuit resulted in Floridas META Consent Decree (MCD), a legal accord by which Florida agreed to provide adequate teacher training and educational programs, thereby improving access to equal opportunity for ELLs. ELLs are also called limited English proficient (LEP) students in other states. This term was changed in Florida because the LEP label brought with it a negative connotation as it referred to proficiency within the learning of English as a limitation rather than as an asset. The study presents a comprehensive review of the MCD and its eleven main components. Through document and content analysis, the study intended to ix determine whether Florida's 67 public school districts comply with the decree and whether policies are in place to implement the court authorized processes. The study begins with an introduction, which includes historical data and Florida demographics that relate to the issue of second language learners. A review of the literature incorporates legal cases and pertinent educational policies that have preceded the decree., The review also examined the major political and educational barriers that English language learners (ELL) encounter in Florida, as well as the research that suggests what programs and practices are required for successful second language learning. From the impact of antiimmigrant sentiments and English-only movements, to the League of United Latin-American Citizens (LULAC) v.FL Board of Education (1990) class action lawsuit, the study investigated the status of ELL programs in the state of Florida and the debates that surrounds them.The study intended to inform fellow educational leaders of these topics so that our work on behalf of K-12 ELLs can be more effective. Recognizing and preparing for the impact that the increasing numbers of ELLs will continue to have in Florida is an integral part of becoming a well-rounded educational leader and facilitates providing the services these students require, deserve, and to which they are entitled. The study also informs policymakers and practitioners of the pending needs and provides a roadmap to improving second language learning programs and practices in Florida.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333311
- Subject Headings
- English language, Study and teaching, Foreign speakers, Second language acquisition, Minorities, Education, Language arts, Educational equalization
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An examination of the role and career paths of chief research administrators in selected major research universities in the United States.
- Creator
- Nash, Julie., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The Chief Research Administrator (CRA), also known as the Vice President, Vice Provost, or Vice Chancellor for Research, plays a key role in the research university. It is a position of power and not only affects the mission of the institution, but also controls a very large and vital percentage of external funding. The lack of information on how to prepare for the position makes it difficult to plan a career path for those who aspire to the position. This study was designed to obtain...
Show moreThe Chief Research Administrator (CRA), also known as the Vice President, Vice Provost, or Vice Chancellor for Research, plays a key role in the research university. It is a position of power and not only affects the mission of the institution, but also controls a very large and vital percentage of external funding. The lack of information on how to prepare for the position makes it difficult to plan a career path for those who aspire to the position. This study was designed to obtain information to define the persona and career path(s) of the CRA at research universities in the United States. Survey data related to career pathways resulted in the emergence of four main pathways; Faculty/Academic, Administrative, Private Industry, and a Combination of the first three pathways. The results indicated that the most highly cited pathway to the position of the CRA was the Faculty/Academic (83%). The least traveled pathway to the position of CRA was found to be Administrative, that is, beginning at the lowest levels of a research office or administrative position and progressing through the ranks of the research office.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3360957
- Subject Headings
- Universities and colleges, Administration, College administrators, Training of, United States, Educational leadership, United States, Action research in education, United States
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exogenous development vs. endogenous development in Haiti.
- Creator
- Ewen, Stephen., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
-
From before its independence to the present day, Haiti has had exogenous development schemes imposed upon it. These schemes stem from the development theories of Western political-economic thinkers that Western powers and Haitian elites have implemented. Yet Haiti is today the most impoverished nation of the Western hemisphere. What has gone wrong? In reply, I examine a key power-based explanation for the failure. I then examine the culturally-based practices, identity formations, and...
Show moreFrom before its independence to the present day, Haiti has had exogenous development schemes imposed upon it. These schemes stem from the development theories of Western political-economic thinkers that Western powers and Haitian elites have implemented. Yet Haiti is today the most impoverished nation of the Western hemisphere. What has gone wrong? In reply, I examine a key power-based explanation for the failure. I then examine the culturally-based practices, identity formations, and development aspirations of Haiti's popular class, and contrast these with exogenous development theory, praxis and outcomes. I show the profound "misfit" between the two and highlight conflicts that have arisen because of them. In Haiti, exogenous development forms will inevitably go awry because their starting points are and remain fundamentally flawed. An endogenous development form based upon the Haitian majority's culturally-based preferences and identities stands the best chance of bringing social justice and long-term stability to the nation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2003
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/11570
- Subject Headings
- Endogenous growth (Economics), Relations, Economic policy
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploration of religious terrorism over time: a content analysis of The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
- Creator
- Zurburg, Heather., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Abstract/Description
-
The current study is a content analysis and comparison of news articles from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. The objective of this study is to explore media coverage of terrorism over the last five decades to determine the impact of religion and to compare coverage between two respected news sources that are known for their liberal (New York Times) and conservative (Wall Street Journal) view points. Using a stratified random sample, 1,832 news articles were selected between...
Show moreThe current study is a content analysis and comparison of news articles from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. The objective of this study is to explore media coverage of terrorism over the last five decades to determine the impact of religion and to compare coverage between two respected news sources that are known for their liberal (New York Times) and conservative (Wall Street Journal) view points. Using a stratified random sample, 1,832 news articles were selected between 1960 and 2006 from the two news sources of interest. The articles were read, analyzed, and categorized. Then, a qualitative analysis examined a random selection of articles pertaining to religious terrorist events. Results suggest an increase in coverage of religiously perpetrated terrorism in recent decades. Interestingly, coverage from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal showed similar patterns despite being representative of opposite ideologies. Implications are discussed.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174311
- Subject Headings
- Mass media and public opinion, Terrorism and mass media, Mass media policy, Newspapers, Objectivity, War on Terrorism, 2001-, Press coverage
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploration of the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness.
- Creator
- Amey, Beth E., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between experiential learning and self-directed learning readiness of bachelor's and master's level social work students. A quantitative design was utilized. The study consisted of 115 senior social work students and 70 master's level social work students (separated into three student groups) from a state university. Students participated in a one-semester field education component as part of their social work degree program. The research instrument utilized was the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale (SDLRS) constructed by Guglielmino (1978). The SDLRS is a self-report questionnaire with 58 Likert scale items designed to measure the attitudes, values and abilities of learners relating to their readiness to engage in self-directed learning. A pretest, treatment, posttest design was utilized. Demographic data were collected with the pretest administration and level of satisfaction information was collected with the posttest administration. The bachelor's level social work students demonstrated statistically significant differences in the pre and posttest SDLRS scores while the master's level social work students' changes in readiness for self-directed learning were not significant. It is important to note that the master's level social work students spent only half the amount of hours in the field education as the bachelor's level students at the time of the posttest. Correlations between change score from pretest to posttest SDLRS with students' previous exposure to the field of social work, prior experiential learning in a social work program, their satisfaction with the experiential learning component, and demographic factors of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, number of children, and number of years pursuing degree were not significant., The initial SDLRS scores of the bachelor's level students were found to be consistent with those of nursing students previously scored on the SDLRS. In the ANOVA of all groups, significant differences were not found with the four groups of social work students in their change scores of pretest and posttest SDLRS or their overall level of satisfaction with the field experience and overall level of satisfaction with the quality of the supervisor in the field experience. The internship did not demonstrate particular merit for improving readiness for self-directed learning except for the bachelor's level students. However, students were satisfied with the experience and felt it changed their perceptions of self and others.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/107799
- Subject Headings
- Experiential learning, Adult learning, Learning, Psychology of, Self-culture
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An exploratory analysis of the dimensionality of the mechanisms that drive private giving among alumni association members and non-member donors.
- Creator
- Metcalf, Paul., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research MethodologyDepartment of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study operationalized Bekkers and Wiepking's (2007, 2011) eight theoretical mechanisms that drive private giving, examining them within the context of alumni donor behavior at a selected public university in the southern region of the United States. The purpose of the study was to determine if the theoretical mechanisms that drive private giving represent distinct psychometric dimensions, and whether they are correlated with one another or essentially independent. A survey with 24...
Show moreThis study operationalized Bekkers and Wiepking's (2007, 2011) eight theoretical mechanisms that drive private giving, examining them within the context of alumni donor behavior at a selected public university in the southern region of the United States. The purpose of the study was to determine if the theoretical mechanisms that drive private giving represent distinct psychometric dimensions, and whether they are correlated with one another or essentially independent. A survey with 24 original items was created for this study, and completed by 178 alumni association member donors and non-member donors from the selected university. The study found support for six factors that are relatively independent of one another, contributing meaningfully to the overall multidimensional construct. The found factors were labeled efficacy, solicitation, reputation, values, altruism, and awareness of need as they fit reasonably well according to their original names. No differences were found between the mean response scores for alumni association member donors and non-member donors across the six dimensions. These results are beneficial for university fundraisers, alumni relations professionals, researchers in the field of philanthropy, and methodologists interested in developing instruments that measure the motivations for private giving.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362557
- Subject Headings
- Universities and colleges, Alumni and alumnae, Charitable contributions, Universities and colleges, Finance, University development, Educational fund raising
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring barriers to education for Native American Indians: a native perspective.
- Creator
- Conley, Enid., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This qualitative storytelling and exploratory research design investigated the barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies to education experienced by adult Native American Indians from various Native American Indian Nations. In addition, differences between the sexes, Native American Nations, and/or languages spoken, and/or participation in cultural activities regarding barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies of Native American Indians were examined. The study with 23 adult Native American...
Show moreThis qualitative storytelling and exploratory research design investigated the barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies to education experienced by adult Native American Indians from various Native American Indian Nations. In addition, differences between the sexes, Native American Nations, and/or languages spoken, and/or participation in cultural activities regarding barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies of Native American Indians were examined. The study with 23 adult Native American participants revealed a main theme of identity both passive and aggressive that permeated all of the thematic areas: barriers, enhancers, and coping strategies. The barriers ranged from reinventing the Native American Indian to language barriers caused by forcing Native American Indians to speak Eurowestern languages in order to survive. The educational enhancers themes described by the participants revolved around themes of people, culture, community, and the environment. Elements of Garrison' s Model (1997) on self-directed learning emerged in this study under the thematic area of coping strategies. Self-directedness was evident in the coping strategies; which included self-management (control by acknowledging the social environment in which the participants were interacting), cognitive responsibility (self-examination), and motivation (assuming personal responsibility). The role of a Native American Indian as a researcher was noted in enhancing the depth and breadth of the research., The examination of the differences between the sexes, Native American Nations, and/or languages spoken, and/or participation in cultural activities revealed: (a) one male and five females participants described sexism as a barrier; (b) no participant expressed particular barriers with regards to the Native American Nation in which they belonged to; (c) a majority of participants expressed that language was a barrier in one form or another; (d) participants described barriers to Native American Indian cultural participation as thoughts and feelings of being "lost" and "not belonging," which is evident in identity crisis or identity diffusion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/108066
- Subject Headings
- Discrimination in education, Educational equalization, Indians of North America, Education, Indian philosophy
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring the influence of middle school leaders on middle school girls' interest in high school science enrollment.
- Creator
- Kijanka, Lori., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this research was to explore middle school leaders' perceptions of the reasons girls' enrollment levels in science courses during high school declines and if the advice given to middle school girls may be perpetuating the diminished enrollment of girls in science courses as they move from middle school to high school. The study explored the contributions of expectancy and role theory using a qualitative method. Data analysis found that cultural influences on middle school girls...
Show moreThe purpose of this research was to explore middle school leaders' perceptions of the reasons girls' enrollment levels in science courses during high school declines and if the advice given to middle school girls may be perpetuating the diminished enrollment of girls in science courses as they move from middle school to high school. The study explored the contributions of expectancy and role theory using a qualitative method. Data analysis found that cultural influences on middle school girls' career goals emerged as a significant influence on school leaders' perceptions. Instructional methodology and cultural, gendered assumptions of women in science were found as themes in middle school leaders' perceptions that further shaped the advice to girls to enroll in high school science courses. The study provided information that clarified how middle school leaders can maintain the academic pathway for girls in science as well as recommendations for further study.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/192985
- Subject Headings
- Science, Study and teaching (Secondary), Inquiry-based learning, Science, Study and teaching (Middle school), Curricula, Curriculum planning, Sex differences in education, Education, Aims and objectives
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Factors affecting retention in a community college's welfare-to-work programs: a heuristic study of participants' perceptions.
- Creator
- Pino, Veronica Woodward., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examined the perceptions held by former and current welfare-to-work participants of factors that contributed to the retention, persistence, attrition and/or completion of welfare-to-work training programs at a community college. Using the lived experiences and voices of former or current welfare-to-work participants and a qualitative research design, the researcher examined the following research questions: (a) What factors during the training impacted the movement of participants...
Show moreThis study examined the perceptions held by former and current welfare-to-work participants of factors that contributed to the retention, persistence, attrition and/or completion of welfare-to-work training programs at a community college. Using the lived experiences and voices of former or current welfare-to-work participants and a qualitative research design, the researcher examined the following research questions: (a) What factors during the training impacted the movement of participants from welfare-to-work? (b) How did these factors enhance or serve as barriers to the movement of participants from welfare-to-work? This study was presented as a heuristic study of 12 former welfare participants who have transitioned or are currently transitioning from welfare to work. Using purposeful sampling, the researcher selected the participants for this study through self-identification or through nomination by program leaders and other program participants. Each of the 12 former welfare participants was interviewed about the situational, institutional, and dispositional aspects of their training. Demographic data were collected on each of the 12 participants for the purpose of a comparative analysis. Interviews of family members or friends of each of the participants validated the stories provided by the participant. Interviews with two administrators with direct responsibilities for some of the training programs for participants transitioning from welfare-to-work were also done to substantiate the stories of the participants. The findings of this study indicated three conclusions about the participants' perceptions of factors affecting their retention in welfare-to-work programs in a community college., First, the participants' desires to break the cycles of generational welfare were evident in every aspect of the training from having a better life for their children to dealing with the embarrassment of receiving government assistance.Second, welfare-to-work training experiences were influenced by institutional factors such as instructional and institutional support or lack of support for education and career development, including mentoring. Third, personal factors such as family motivation and role models, religion, drive and determination, and the desire to make a difference shaped the participants' career training experiences and contributed to persistence and completion.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186300
- Subject Headings
- College dropouts, Prevention, Academic achievement, Welfare recipients, Education, Community colleges, Attitude (Psychology), Motivation in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Family, obligation, and educational outcomes: unraveling the paradox of high aspirations and low academic achievement among the children of Haitian immigrants.
- Creator
- Nicholas, Tekla., Florida Atlantic University, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Anthropology
- Abstract/Description
-
The desire for academic success is shared by Haitian parents and their American-born children. Yet, despite this will to succeed, second generation Haitian students have been shown to fare poorly in school when compared to other ethnic groups. This qualitative study revealed that students' poor results in high school were not due to adversarial attitudes toward education; rather, they reflected inadequate foundations in basic academic skills. In particular, limited vocabularies hamper the...
Show moreThe desire for academic success is shared by Haitian parents and their American-born children. Yet, despite this will to succeed, second generation Haitian students have been shown to fare poorly in school when compared to other ethnic groups. This qualitative study revealed that students' poor results in high school were not due to adversarial attitudes toward education; rather, they reflected inadequate foundations in basic academic skills. In particular, limited vocabularies hamper the academic achievement of many Haitian American students. Some students who expected that passing grades would lead to college are unable to pass the FCAT exam required to earn a high school diploma. Surprisingly, the highest levels of academic achievement were attained by the students with the poorest and least educated parents. They displayed extraordinary motivation attributed to a strong sense of familial obligation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/77648
- Subject Headings
- Minorities, Education, Haitian Americans, Education, Children of immigrants, Education, Motivation in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Filipina-South Florida international Internet marriage practice: agency, culture, and paradox.
- Creator
- Haley, Pamela Sullivan., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of Sociology, Florida Atlantic University
- Abstract/Description
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This dissertation concerns the structures and individual agency of Filipina brides who met their American husbands through Internet or pen pal advertisements. Popular media, legal scholars, and some feminists have largely described the phenomenon in terms of its oppressiveness toward the women involved, thus dismissing any agency on the part of the women. Similarly, much of the scholarship has located the American Internet grooms as ogres who are out to exploit these women for domestic and...
Show moreThis dissertation concerns the structures and individual agency of Filipina brides who met their American husbands through Internet or pen pal advertisements. Popular media, legal scholars, and some feminists have largely described the phenomenon in terms of its oppressiveness toward the women involved, thus dismissing any agency on the part of the women. Similarly, much of the scholarship has located the American Internet grooms as ogres who are out to exploit these women for domestic and sexual services. If prominent researchers of this phenomenon are correct in their assessments that Filipina Internet brides operate as effective agents, then one also assumes these women continue that agency when they settle into their new lives as Filipina wives married to American men. Therefore, my central research question is: How has this agency manifested itself, and has this manifestation been problematic for the American groom, who, from the typical Internet ad's text and images and couple d with prevailing American cultural assumptions, assumed he was getting a submissive wife? To explore possible answers to these questions I performed a rhetorical analysis of two typical Internet advertisements. The focus on the ads is important to my study because the Internet advertisements both shape and reflect the popular view of the so-called Filipina "mail-order bride." Next, in order to gain the Internet brides' and grooms' perspectives of the phenomenon, I interviewed three Filipina-Americano couples currently living in South Florida between November, 2005, and October, 2007. My findings support the scholars who forefront the brides' agency and, therefore, reject the stereotypes projected on the Internet advertisements. My findings also reject the stereotype of the exploitative husband. From my interview data, the women appeared agentive and the men encouraged their wives' agency., An unanticipated and paradoxical outcropping of the interview descriptions of their courtshand subsequent marriages. In this one area both the brides and grooms unanimously deemphasized their own agency, and instead highlighted romantic narratives with each insisting that they had "fallen in love."
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/186295
- Subject Headings
- Arranged marriage, Social aspects, Marriage brokerage, Intercountry marriage, Mail order brides
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Finding the rainbow connection: moving from toleration to human dignity and acceptance in American life and law.
- Creator
- Lange, Alex C., Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College
- Abstract/Description
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The surge in granting equal rights to gays and lesbians in the United States is remarkable. Yet with this surge comes a conflict : the civil rights of gays and lesbians against the rights of religious individuals, predominantly Christians, refusing to tolerate a behavior they think immoral. My thesis focuses on two hypothetical situations : a county clerk refusing to issue a marriage license to an engaged lesbian couple and an inn owner refusing a night's stay to a gay couple. In both cases,...
Show moreThe surge in granting equal rights to gays and lesbians in the United States is remarkable. Yet with this surge comes a conflict : the civil rights of gays and lesbians against the rights of religious individuals, predominantly Christians, refusing to tolerate a behavior they think immoral. My thesis focuses on two hypothetical situations : a county clerk refusing to issue a marriage license to an engaged lesbian couple and an inn owner refusing a night's stay to a gay couple. In both cases, the clerk and inn owner refuse service for religious reasons. Normatively, I argue that we must move beyond a framework of toleration to a system of equal respect and understanding of our fellow human beings. Legally, I argue that the rights of religious expression and exercise should not trump the civil rights of gays and lesbians in the public sphere.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359308
- Subject Headings
- Gay liberation movement, History, Religion and politics, History, Gay rights, Public opinion, Gays, Social conditions, Constitutional law, Religious aspects, Same-sex marriage, Law and legislation, Sex discrimination, Law and legislation, Gays, Legal status, laws, etc
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Florida middle grades pupil progression policies: their effects on middle school student achievement and retention rates.
- Creator
- Murray, Mary A., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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Florida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students,...
Show moreFlorida H.B. 7087 (2006a), otherwise known as A++legislation, was created and adopted as a means to increase the rigor and relevance of a public school education, specifically at the middle school and high school levels. The anticipated result of the implementation of this bill was to better prepare middle school students for high school and thereby increase high school student performance and decrease the dropout rate. However, in increasing the promotion standards for middle grade students, interpretation and implementation have created additional barriers to grade level advancement. As a result, the possibility now exists for more students and especially those already at-risk of failure will be subject to higher retention rates. This may place them further at-risk of poor academic performance and of potentially dropping out of school, an opposite effect of the intent of the bill. This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the revised policies on middle school students.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2683536
- Subject Headings
- Education and state, Educational tests and measurements, Educational accountability, Achievement in education
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The Florida School Recognition Program: the relationship between participation in the program and adequate yearly progress under the No Child Left Behind Act.
- Creator
- Wanza, Valerie Smith., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
- Abstract/Description
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This study was designed to determine the relationship between Florida School Recognition Program (FSRP) participation and adequate yearly progress (AYP) criteria met during school years 2004-2008. It also intended to discover whether schools' socioeconomic status, minority rates, and levels moderated this relationship as well as a difference in average AYP criteria met for schools that maintained FSRP participation and those that do not. The study further sought to determine whether these...
Show moreThis study was designed to determine the relationship between Florida School Recognition Program (FSRP) participation and adequate yearly progress (AYP) criteria met during school years 2004-2008. It also intended to discover whether schools' socioeconomic status, minority rates, and levels moderated this relationship as well as a difference in average AYP criteria met for schools that maintained FSRP participation and those that do not. The study further sought to determine whether these school characteristics and schools' grades predicted maintenance of participation in the FSRP. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was employed to respond to 6 research questions and test 14 corresponding null hypotheses. Three thousand and seventy-seven schools were identified for data collection and analysis. Six independent variables were defined as school level, average socioeconomic status, average minority rate, average percentage of AYP criteria, aggregate number of years 100% of AYP criteria was met, and average school grade. One dependent variable was defined as aggregate years of FSRP participation. The study found that there was a relationship between participation in the FSRP and AYP criteria met, and school level, socioeconomic status, and minority rate moderated this relationship. While school level and minority rate moderated a difference in average percentage of AYP criteria met in schools that maintained participation in the program and those that did not, socioeconomic status did not. Moreover, all independent variables served as predictors for maintenance of participation in the FSRP. The study found that schools' demographic characteristics influence student achievement and participation in incentive pay programs., Six implications for future research were identified to further explore the FSRP and AYP relationship, the unintended consequences of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the appropriateness of incentive pay education, the distribution of FSRP award dollars in schools, and student achievement by school level. Recommendations were to add an AYP criterion to the FSRP, assess the effectiveness of inducement policies in education, and add a provision for program evaluation to the FSRP statute.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2009
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/332912
- Subject Headings
- Academic achievement, Education and state, Educational equalization, Education, Aims and objectives
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Foreclosure effects: the changing landscape and those left behind in Broward County, Florida.
- Creator
- Shaw, Cindy M., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Geosciences
- Abstract/Description
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The recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was...
Show moreThe recent financial crisis which has beset the United States has made itself felt in a number of ways, not the least of which has been its adverse effect on the housing market. As foreclosure percentages accelerated, increasing numbers of properties across the country became empty and abandoned, leaving a visible imprint of deterioration in neighborhoods that were significantly affected. Initial GIS analysis of both foreclosed and non-foreclosed residential land in Broward County Florida was conducted, showing that there is a discernible spectral difference in the lawn space of these two types of properties, with foreclosed properties exhibiting more brownness, or loss of green space. In order to evaluate whether or not this visible deterioration has had an effect on residents left behind in areas of foreclosure and their own habits, 950 mail-in surveys were distributed throughout 19 different census tracts in Broward County, inquiring about demographics, surrounding foreclosures, degrees of concern for home value and appearance, and changes in lawn maintenance since the foreclosure crisis along with reasons for such change if such exists. Data received from respondents was then analyzed in order to identify any attributes or correlations which might contribute to further neighborhood change, and how any of these factors might be affecting attitudes or perceptions of those left behind, as well as their lawn maintenance habits.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361063
- Subject Headings
- Financial crises, Foreclosure, Community development, Urban, Land use, Urban, Economic conditions
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Fritz Kuhn, the American Fuehrer and the rise and fall of the German-American Bund.
- Creator
- Kopp, Eliot A., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, Department of History
- Abstract/Description
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It is not generally known that a pro-Nazi organization, the German-American Bund, held sway among certain segments of American society during the 1920s and 1930s. The organization achieved its greatest successes after the self-proclaimed "American Fuehrer," Fritz Julius Kuhn, took up the reigns of leadership in 1936. Under Kuhn's leadership, the Bund saw a dramatic increase in its membership rolls; it is estimated that over 25,000 dues-paying members belonged to this first-ever National...
Show moreIt is not generally known that a pro-Nazi organization, the German-American Bund, held sway among certain segments of American society during the 1920s and 1930s. The organization achieved its greatest successes after the self-proclaimed "American Fuehrer," Fritz Julius Kuhn, took up the reigns of leadership in 1936. Under Kuhn's leadership, the Bund saw a dramatic increase in its membership rolls; it is estimated that over 25,000 dues-paying members belonged to this first-ever National Socialist organization created outside the environs of Nazi Germany. This thesis explores reasons why this blatantly pro-Nazi organization thrived in the bastion of democracy. While most historians attribute other reasons for the Bund's success, this thesis argues that it was the outstanding organizational skills of Kuhn that kept the movement alive in the years prior to World War II.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2010
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927303
- Subject Headings
- Influence, History, National socialism, White supremacy movements, History
- Format
- Document (PDF)
