College of Education
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Item A Study of International Farm Youth Exchange Delegates Who Visited Latin America(1960) Blum, Lee Ann Leet; Wiggin, Gladys A.; Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, MD)A. Statement of Problem The problem of this thesis is to study the nature and prediction of adjustment to foreign culture of 24 American International Farm Youth Exchange delegates. Specifically, this thesis is designed to answer the following questions: 1. What was the nature of adjustment or the 24 subjects as determined through: a. An analysis of a questionnaire administered on return from the foreign visit. b. An analysis of correspondence during the foreign visit. 2. Could the nature or the adjustment have been predicted prior to the foreign visit by materials available in: a. Application form for foreign visits. b. Supplementary biographical data. A secondary purpose of this thesis is to review the literature relating to technical and/or student exchange programs of: 1. Foreign nationals in the United States. 2. Americans in other countries. B. Procedures 1. Selection of the Group from which Population Was Drawn A group of 1010 IFYE delegates who have visited a total of 59 different countries and Puerto Rico was the population from which the sample was drawn. Due to the variety of country cultures represented and the world coverage, it was decided to simplify and centralize the population. The 133 delegates who visited the 18 Latin American countries were selected to represent the group. Latin American countries were selected because of their similar cultural and religious background. Since information on file was to be used in the study, it was essential to select only those del egates with comparable data. Comparable data were available for delegate participants during the years 1955-57. As so limited, the group numbered 64. 2. Criterion for Selecting Population The next step was to determine whe ther the 64 subjects could be categorized at the outset into most and least adjusted to the foreign culture visited, on the basis of material available after return. The answer to question number 19 on the Individual Report Form was selected as the item to be used for categorizing. For categorizing question 19, eight individuals were asked to serve as raters. Four raters had only a slight knowledge of the IFYE program and four raters were past participants in the IFYE program. Each rater was given the group of 64 Individual Report Forms and asked to categorize question 19 in one of three categories. These categories were: (1) Least Adjusted, (2) Medially Adjusted, and (3) Most Adjusted. No criteria were given the rater to influence his placement. The categorizing was used as an attempt to see if a significant pattern could be recognized. For the purpose of this study, it was decided that the following method be used in classifying subjects: a. Each subject must appear in the least adjusted or in the most adjusted category a minimum of four times (which means that at least half of the raters thought that the subject was either least adjusted or most adjusted). b. The subject was not to appear in the least adjusted category if classified in the most adjusted category, and vice versa. c. The subject might appear in the medially adjusted category and still be used for the most or the least adjusted category if qualifications for step (a) listed here were fulfilled. After all raters had completed their categorizing, tabulations were made and it was found that 11 subjects in the least adjusted category and 13 subjects in the most adjusted category could be used in this study. Complete categorizing of the 64 subjects can be found in Appendix A. 3. Procedures for Analysis of Data a. Nature of Adjustment Question number 19 of the Individual Report Form was used to categorize the subjects into groups of most adjusted and least adjusted. The question reads as follows: "Of all things that were new and different to you, which were difficult or disagreeable to adjust to?" The Individual Report Form appears in Appendix B. The 24 subjects' responses to the question appear in Appendix G. Answers were available to all other questions on the report and an analysis will be made in this study of all questions relating to the nature of adjustment. Correspondence received from the delegates while visiting in the foreign country was available in individual files. An analysis of the correspondence indicated that delegates report a variety of news. The nature of news reported is available for study in relationship to the delegates' adjustment in the foreign culture. b. Prediction of Adjustment Adjustment while in the host country is of special interest to the officials of the IFYE program. To be able to predict adjustment of a delegate to his host country before actually participating in the program would be of great value to IFYE. This study is designed to investigate available pre-participation background information on each subject. The available information on file relates to: (1) Delegate Application Form (to be found in Appendix c) and (2) Delegate Biographical Form (to be found in Appendix D). The purposes of this study are to investigate the background information listed above and to test for significant relationship of nature of adjustment in the foreign country.Item An Investigation of the Relationship Between Fifth-Grade Student and Teacher Performance on Selected Tasks Involving Nonmetric Geometry(1968) Moody, William Braun; Walbesser, Henry H.; Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)Statement of the Problem: This study investigated the relationship between teacher and student performance on selected mathematical tasks. A measure of teacher effectiveness was obtained by comparing teacher and student performance on identical geometric tasks. Procedure: Teachers and their students from nineteen fifth-grade classes were designated as either control or experimental subjects. The six control treatment classes were presented topics in nonmetric geometry by means of self-instructional reading materials. The thirteen experimental treatment classes were presented the same topics by their teachers without the use of the reading materials. The duration of the instructional period consisted of four, fifty minute class periods. A criterion test, consisting of selected geometric tasks, was administered as a pre-test and post - test to the students of the control and experimental classes. The same test was administered to the teachers of the experimental classes at the conclusion of the instructional period. The hypothesis that students who read instructional materials in mathematics on their own will perform as well on selected tasks as those who have teachers explain and interpret the content for them was tested by comparing class mean scores. A second hypothesis questioned the relationship between the level of teacher performance on selected tasks and the level of performance exhibited by his students on these tasks. This hypothesis was examined by correlating the teacher scores on the criterion test with the mean scores of the classes in the experimental treatment. The relationship between teacher and student performance on individual tasks appearing on the criterion test was examined by comparing correct and incorrect item responses selected by teachers and students. A comparison of the proportion of student incorrect responses for classes whose teachers missed an item, with the proportion of student incorrect responses for classes whose teachers correctly responded to a particular item, was made by applying the chi square statistic to response frequencies. A similar procedure investigated the relationship between particular incorrect teacher response and student response. This aspect of the study investigated the effect of the teacher on student performance by comparing teacher and student behavior on individual tasks. Results: The reliability coefficient obtained for the criterion test was 0.72 as determined by the Kuder-Richardson formula 20. An estimate of item reliability was obtained and sixteen of the twenty-five test items exhibited acceptable reliability measures. The results of the analyses are summarized as follows: (1) An analysis of variance revealed that the mean score for the experimental classes was significantly higher than for the control classes at the 0.01 level; (2) there was a significant positive correlation between teacher test scores and class mean scores on the criterion test at the 0.02 level; (3) upon testing for independence of student and teacher selection of correct and incorrect responses to a particular item on the criterion test, ten of twenty-two items revealed a significant chi square at less than the 0.01 level. Items which exhibited a relationship between student and teacher performance either required a direct recall or application of a single definition presented in the materials; and (4) all but three of sixteen chi squares, which were not significant at less than the 0.10 level, supported the independence of teacher and student selection of a particular incorrect response to an item on the criterion test. Conclusions: It was concluded that:(l) There is no support for the hypothesis that students who read materials in mathematics on their own will perform as well on selected tasks as those who have teachers explain and interpret the content for them; (2) there is support for the hypothesis that if a teacher performs at a certain level of success on selected mathematical tasks, then his students, following instruction, will perform at the same level on these tasks; (3) there is a relationship between student and teacher correct and incorrect performance on selected tasks involving the direct identification and application of a single definition. No evidence was found of a relationship for tasks which require a combination of the application of two or more definitions; and (4) there is no relationship between teacher and student selection of a particular incorrect response to a task on the criterion test.Item A History of the Maryland State Teachers' Association(1964) Ebersole, Benjamin P.; Wiggin, Gladys A.; Teaching, Learning, Policy & Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)In 1865 Maryland became the twenty-seventh state to officially inaugurate a state teachers' association. The same law which, in 1865, provided for the first bona fide state educational system placed school officials under legal obligation to aid in organizing and supporting teachers' associations. The Maryland State Teachers' Association was meant to be an integral part of the educational plan. Sharing the same chronological time span and the same general purposes, the Association and the state educational system were closely related in their development. During the early years the Association was both helped and hindered by school legislation. From 1866 to 1868 it had the benefit of a progressive school law and an active state superintendent. From 1869 to 1899 the inadequate school law and the lack of a full time state superintendent limited the growth of Maryland education and of the Association. Although educational conditions were reviewed and instructional topics discussed, there was little reform. Social and recreational activities were prominent at the annual meetings. During most of the first half of the twentieth century, the Association remained a part time organization, not yet prepared to assume a leadership role among the educational forces in the state. From 1900 to 1920 was a period of re-awakening in Maryland education, but the Association did not grasp this opportunity for leadership. Between 1920 and 1941 the Association democratized its business procedures, displayed more interest in the economic welfare of teachers, and supported the advances directed by the state superintendent of schools. Between 1912 and 1951 the Association evolved from an organization with serious limitations to one with a continuing program, a full time staff, a permanent headquarters building, a monthly periodical, and large-scale annual meetings. During the ten years from 1952 to 1962 the MSTA dealt actively with state and national educational problems. It became a chief voice and agent for the state's educational interests and fought vigorously for what it considered essential to the advancement of education. In 1962 the Association included thirty-six local associations, forty departments, twenty-two committees, six professional staff employees, and 21,425 members. During its history the MSTA had two major purposes: (1) the perpetuation of tax-supported public education and (2) the improvement of the professional and economic status of teachers. To realize these goals, the Association worked closely with other interested groups, especially the state department of education and the parent-teacher organization, in the promotion of legislation improving the welfare of teachers and increasing the state's financial responsibility for the school system. It followed the lead of the National Education Association in the matters of federal aid, professional negotiations , and teachers' ethics. Through committee investigations, department discussions, professional staff studies, local associations' activities, and annual meetings, the Association worked to enhance teacher preparation, improve instructional methods and content , enlighten teachers about school policies and political realities, and in general raise the esprit de corps of both lay and professional people involved or interested in public education. During its history the MSTA had successes and failures. Precisely to what extent it has been instrumental in the advancement of Maryland education is not subject to completely factual evaluation, but it is certain that Maryland education has benefited from the endeavors of the Maryland State Teachers ' Association.Item The Relationship between Overt Verbal Attitude Responses toward Cheating Behavior, Achievement Needs, and Cheating on Test Items(1967) Alvernaz Mulcahy, Gloria Lorraine; Lawson, John R.; Human Development & Quantitative Methodology; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between overt verbal attitude responses of college students toward cheating behavior, achievement needs, and cheating behavior on test items. A further purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between grades and/or the number of errors made on an exam and cheating or non-cheating behavior. Procedure: The sample was comprised of sixty-six subjects-thirty- three cheaters and thirty-three non-cheaters. A stratified random sample was drawn from 184 students in six sections of Education 110 classes at the University of Maryland. The cheaters were matched with a group of noncheaters by sex and class. The data was obtained in three separate experimental sessions. During the first session a 35 item multiple-response attitude measure was administered to the subjects during the usual class period. Attitude toward cheating in a college setting was assessed utilizing an instrument developed by the writer in a pilot study. The second experimental session occurred one week after the presentation of the attitude measure. The McClelland n Achievement measure was administered using a set of four TAT-type pictures used to elicit imaginative stories which could be scored for the presence or absence of achievement related imagery. The third experimental session occurred two weeks after the administration of the n Achievement measure. During the third session the professor was absent from class by prior arrangement. The writer presented a twenty minute taped lecture which focused upon elementary statistical concepts. Immediately following the taped lecture the subjects were administered a 30 item multiple-response test. Subjects were provided with an opportunity to exhibit cheating behavior in a classroom setting while correcting their own examination papers after a copy of their original responses was surreptitiously recorded. Findings: 1. There were no differences in verbal attitude responses toward cheating behavior between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 2. There were no differences in achievement needs between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 3. There were differences in the number of errors made by subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 4. There were no differences in grades between subjects who exhibited cheating behavior and those who did not. 5. There were no differences in cheating and noncheating behavior between subjects who scored high and low on a verbal (written) measure of attitudes toward cheating. 16. There were no differences in cheating and noncheating behavior bet ween subjects with high and low need achievement scores.Item A History of the Maryland State Teachers' Association(1964) Ebersole, Benjamin Paul; Wiggin, Gladys A.; Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md)In 1865 Maryland became the twenty-seventh state to officially inaugurate a state teachers' association. The same law which, in 1865, provided for the first bona fide state educational system placed school officials under legal obligation to aid in organizing and supporting teachers’ association. The Maryland State Teachers’ Association was meant to be an integral part of the educational plan. Sharing the same chronological time span and the same general purposes, the Association and the state educational system were closely related in their development. During the early years the Association was both helped and hindered by school legislation. From 1866 to 1868 it had the benefit of a progressive school law and an active state superintendent. From 1869 to 1899 the inadequate school law and the lack of a full time state superintendent limited the growth of Maryland education and of the Association. Although educational conditions were reviewed and instructional topics discussed, there was little reform. Social and recreational activities were prominent at the annual meetings. During most of the first half of the twentieth century, the Association remained a part time organization, not yet prepared to assume a leadership role among the educational forces in the state. From 1900 to 1920 was a period of reawakening in Maryland education, but the Association did not grasp this opportunity for leadership. Between 1920 and 1941 the Association democratized its business procedures, displayed more interest in the economic welfare of teachers, and supported the advances directed by the state superintendent of schools. Between 1942 and 1951 the Association evolved from an organization with serious limitations to one with a continuing program, a full time staff, a permanent headquarters building, a monthly periodical, and large-scale annual meetings. During the ten years from 1952 to 1962 the MSTA dealt actively with state and national educational problems. It became a chief voice and agent for the state’s educational interests and fought vigorously for what it considered essential to the advancement of education. In 1962 the Association included thirty-six local associations, forty departments, twenty-two committees, six professional staff employees, and 21,425 members. During its history the MSTA had two major purposes: (1) the perpetuation of tax-supported public education and (2) the improvement of the professional and economic status of teachers. To realize these goals, the Association worked closely with other interested groups, especially the state department of education and the parent-teacher organization, in the promotion of legislation improving the welfare of teachers and increasing the state’s financial responsibility for the school system. It followed the lead of the National Education Association in the matters of federal aid, professional negotiations, and teachers’ ethics. Through committee investigations, department discussions, professional staff studies, local associations’ activities, and annual meetings, the Association worked to enhance teacher preparation, improve instructional methods and content, enlighten teachers about school policies and political realities, and in general raise the esprit de corps of both lay and professional people involved or interested in public education. During its history the MSTA has successes and failures. Precisely to what extent it has been instrumental in the advancement of Maryland education is not subject to completely factual evaluation, but it is certain that Maryland education has benefited from the endeavors of the Maryland State Teachers’ Association.