(1) Vertical Extension of Two-Year Colleges a Ten Year Survey: 1964-1974
Kent D. Beeler
Eastern Michigan University
Abstract: The number, location, and characteristics of two-year colleges that had elevated to four-year status during the past decade was reviewed. Data were gathered from the annual issues of the Education Directory, Higher Education prepared by the U.S. Office of Education. A total of 70 institutions were involved in upward academic moves with the annual average of seven in substantial agreement with similar studies previously reported in the literature. A decreasing percentage of two-year colleges, of the total eligible, were involved yearly. Institutional characteristics church-affiliation, enrollment of under 500, and lack of regional accreditation were present in a higher proportion than found generally in all two-year colleges during the same period. It was concluded that the frequent allegations that the two-year college is an unstable format and has a propensity to seek transformation to a four-year status are inaccurate and have become even more so in recent years.
Citation: Beeler, K. D. (1974). Vertical extension of two-year colleges a ten year survey: 1964-1974. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 86-100.
Download: Beeler.161.pdf (730 downloads )
(2) The Effects of Integration on Achievement in a Large Elementary
John E. Bennett
Florida Atlantic University
Abstract: The effects of integration in two large elementary schools are reported. In the first year blacks showed severe drops in reading and mathematics. Whites showed less overall decline. The subsequent year scores for both black and white pupils showed a rebound. Integration appeared to be more disruptive to blacks than to the whites.
Citation: Bennett, J. E. (1974). The effects of integration on achievement in a large elementary school. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 12-15.
Download: Bennett.161.pdf (904 downloads )
(3) The Development of Economic Understanding in Southwest Florida High School Seniors
Edward Boddy
University of South Florida
Thomas S. Tocco
Pinellas County Schools (Fla.)
Abstract: The study attempted to survey the level of economic understanding of high school seniors in Southwest Florida and the contributions made to the development of this understanding by the social studies curriculum. Senior classes were drawn from randomly selected high schools in ten Southwestern Florida counties yielding an N of 455 students. The Test of Economic Understanding was administered to the subjects. The summary results suggest that students in Southwestern Florida are significantly below both the standard set by the National Task Force on Economic Education and the mean reported for the group used to norm the TEU. The number of social studies courses taken by seniors was found, in general, not to affect the student’s level of economic understanding. One exception was the existence of a significant difference between those students who had taken no more than two social studies courses and all others. To test the possibility of selection factors in operation in the social studies design, secondary analyses on academic and personological differences were conducted. As noted by Kerlinger (1966), the internal validity of ex-post facto research is enhanced by secondary analyses such as these since they can serve to eliminate viable alternative explanations of the results. The results of these analyses indicated no systematic differences on identified educationally important variables among the classifications used in this study.
Citation: Boddy, E., & Tocco, T. S. (1974). The development of economic understanding in southwest Florida high school seniors. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 28-34.
Download: Boddy.161.pdf (1345 downloads )
(4) Piles, and Number and Kind of Categories, in Theme Grading
John Follman
University of South Florida
Abstract: Three studies dealing with the effect of sorting essays into piles on the reliability and level of grades awarded are reported. In the first study, 40 S’s were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions; in the second study, 30 S’s were randomly assigned to one of six conditions; and in the third, 32 S’s were assigned to one of eight conditions.The conditions involved combinations of piles or no piles and different grading systems. In each study, the S’s graded 12 typical high school senior and/or college freshman themes. It was concluded that the use of piles neither increases group grading reliability estimates nor greatly influences the level of grades awarded.
Citation: Follman, J. (1974). Piles, and number and kind of categories, in theme grading. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 67-73.
Download: Follman.161.pdf (1383 downloads )
(5) Selecting Foreign Students – Are GPA and Ratings Interchangeable as Criterion Variables?
Tom D. Freijo, Ph.D.
University of South Florida
Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between certain background variables often used to select foreign students for study in the U. S. and two criterion variables – GPA and ratings of on-the-job success upon returning to their home country. It represents an effort to determine whether GPA is a reasonable substitute for ratings of on-the-job as a criterion variable. The relationship between six background variables and the two criterion variables was studied in a group of Honduran educators who studied in Florida during 1969-1970. The study indicated that some variables which were good predictors of GPA were poor predictors of ratings of on-the-job success, and that most variables were more highly correlated with GPA than with ratings.
Citation: Freijo, T. D. (1974). Selecting foreign students – are GPA and ratings interchangeable as criterion variables?. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 16-27.
Download: Freijo.161.pdf (1290 downloads )
(6) Some Empirically Derived Dimensions of Educational Philosophy
Wilson H. Guertin
University of Florida
Abstract: Development of a forced-choice instrument, the Multidimensional Assessment of Philosophy of Education is described briefly. Validity correlations for the various item choices with subscale scores are presented to explicate the six dimensions.
Citation: Guertin, W. H. (1974). Some empirically derived dimensions of educational philosophy. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 50-54.
Download: Guertin.161.pdf (1327 downloads )
(7) The Stability of Eighth-Grade Students’ Educational and Occupational Plans and Goals
Jacob G. Beard
Florida State University
Ronald L. Fishbein
Florida State University
Abstract: The Florida State-Wide Eighth Grade Testing Program (8GTP) includes a section entitled “Your Plans and Goals.” This section consists of four brief scales which provide the examinee with the opportunity to report on his educational and occupational aspirations and expectations. Stability of test results is reported.
Citation: Beard, J. G., & Fishbein, R. L. (1974). The stability of eighth-grade students’ educational and occupational plans and goals. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 74-76.
Download: Beard.161.pdf (1339 downloads )
(8) The Correlation of Selected Mathematical Measures with Problem Solving Ability
E. Ray Phillips
University of South Florida
A. Edward Uprichard
University of South Florida
Herbert L. Johnson
Pinellas County Schools
Abstract: The ability to solve word problems in algebra by eighth and ninth graders was studied in relation to five selected variables (attitude toward math, algebraic skills, critical thinking, translation, and problem analysis). Algebraic skills and analysis of word problems correlated with ability to solve the problems. Additional findings are discussed.
Citation: Phillips, E. R. (1974). The correlation of selected mathematical measures with problem solving ability. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 3-11.
Download: Phillips1.161.pdf (1470 downloads )
(9) Information Intermix: a Teaching-Learning Strategy for the Biology Class
Peter W. Keelin
Florida State University
Barney Barker
Florida State University
Don Rapp
Florida State University
Abstract: Information intermix, a student-centered teaching approach designed for the acquisition of academic content without denying the social and emotional elements of students. was used with four groups of 24-27 high school biology students. Questionnaire responses indicated that a statistically significant majority of the students favored the approach.
Citation: Keelin, P. W., Barker, B., & Rapp, D. (1974). Information intermix: a teaching-learning strategy for the biology class. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 44-49.
Download: Keelin.161.pdf (1492 downloads )
(10) On Validating Learning Hierarchies
E. Ray Phillips
University of South Florida
Robert B. Kane
Purdue University
Abstract: Using Gagne’s task analysis a learning hierarchy for whole number addition was constructed. Based on the logical ordering of the subtasks, a test was constructed to assess mastery at each level. A second test was constructed using a randomization of the same items. Both tests were administered to 111 elementary school children in grades 3 through 6. Analysis of transfer between adjacent items using the P statistic (proportion of positive transfer) validated both the hypothesized sequencing and the randomly ordered subordinate levels. Results indicate this procedure is not a sufficient criterion for ordering the subordinate levels of a learning hierarchy using test data.
Citation: Phillips, E. R., & Kane, R. B. (1974). On validating learning hierarchies. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 39-43.
Download: Phillips.161.pdf (1517 downloads )
(11) Reasons for Attending College as Reported by Female Students in a Southern University
Fred Schab
University of Georgia
Abstract: A random sample of 791 female students at the University of Georgia were asked to select from a list of 20 possible motives, the five most important reasons why they decided to attend college, and the five most important reasons why they thought other students (male and female) had decided to attend. The reasons selected by the subjects for their own attendance were generally reflective of traditional societal values (e.g., occupational training, intellectual improvement). Motives attributed to other female students were generally self-indulgent (e. g., finding husbands, pleasing parents, having fun). Those attributed to male students included occupational training as the most important, followed by self-indulgent reasons (e. g., postponing settling down, having fun).
Citation: Schab, F. (1974). Reasons for attending college as reported by female students in a southern university. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 55-66.
Download: Schab.161.pdf (1032 downloads )
(12) An Interim Evaluation of the Pinellas County Reading System
Thomas S. Tocco
Pinellas County Schools
Steven Iachini
Pinellas County Schools
John A. Blank
Pinellas County Schools
Jacqueline Blank
Pinellas County Schools
Abstract: A brief report of the results of evaluating reading achievement in a county school system is given. Gains by ability and grades on both vocabulary and comprehension are designated as significantly higher, as expected or significantly lower. The Gates-MacGinitie test and statistical procedures were employed on these 1552 students.
Citation: Toccoa, T. S., Iachini, S., Blank, J. A., & Blank, J. (1974). An interim evaluation of the Pinellas county reading system. Florida Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 35-38.
Download: Tocco.161.pdf (1500 downloads )