Assessing the effectiveness of five-year mechanical engineering technology programs of junior colleges in Taiwan, R.O.C.: An application of the CIPP evaluation model

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical engineering technology curriculum effectiveness at the junior college in Taiwan by using the CIPP evaluation model. The study concerned the areas of the curriculum, curriculum materials, individualized instruction, support services, teaching effectiveness, student achievement, and job performance. A descriptive survey method was used with questionnaires for data collection from faculty, students, graduates, and employers.^ All categories of respondents tended to agree that the curriculum provides appropriate occupational knowledge and skills. Students, graduates, and faculty tended to be satisfied with the curriculum; faculty tended to be satisfied with student achievement; graduates tended to be satisfied with their job preparation; and employers were most satisfied with graduates' job performance.^ Conclusions were drawn in the context, input, process, and product of the CIPP model. In Context area: Students were dissatisfied with curriculum flexibility in students characteristics. Graduates were dissatisfied with curriculum design for student's adaptability in new economic and industrial conditions; practicum flexibility in student characteristics; and course overlap. Both students and graduates were dissatisfied with practicum credit hours. Both faculty and students were dissatisfied with the number of required courses.^ In Input area: Students, faculty, and graduates perceived audiovisuals and manipulative aids positively. Faculty and students perceive CAI implementation positively. Students perceived textbooks negatively.^ In Process area: Faculty, students, and graduates perceived all support service negatively. Faculty tended to perceive the ratios of graduates who enter advanced study and related occupation, and who passed the professional skills certification, negatively. Students tended to perceive teaching effectiveness in terms of instructional strategies, the quality of instruction, overall suitability, and receivable, negatively. Graduates also tended to identify the instructional strategies as a negative perception. Faculty and students perceived curriculum objectives and practicum negatively. Both faculty and students felt that instructors should be more interested in making the courses a useful learning experience.^ In Product area: Employers were satisfied with graduates' academic preparation and job performance, adaptability, punctuality, and their ability to communicate, cooperate, and meet organization needs. Graduates were weak in terms of equipment familiarity and supervisory ability.^ In sum, the curriculum of the five-year mechanical engineering technology programs of junior college in Taiwan has served adequately up to this time in preparing a work force to enter industry. It is now time to look toward the future and adapt the curriculum and instruction for the future needs of this high-tech society. ^

The effectiveness of explicit individualized phonemic awareness instruction by a speech -language pathologist to preschool children with phonological speech disorders

This study investigated the effects of an explicit individualized phonemic awareness intervention administered by a speech-language pathologist to 4 prekindergarten children with phonological speech sound disorders. Research has demonstrated that children with moderate-severe expressive phonological disorders are at-risk for poor literacy development because they often concurrently exhibit weaknesses in the development of phonological awareness skills (Rvachew, Ohberg, Grawburg, & Heyding, 2003).^ The research design chosen for this study was a single subject multiple probe design across subjects. After stable baseline measures, the participants received explicit instruction in each of the three phases separately and sequentially. Dependent measures included same-day tests for Phase I (Phoneme Identity), Phase II (Phoneme Blending), and Phase III (Phoneme Segmentation), and generalization and maintenance tests for all three phases.^ All 4 participants made substantial progress in all three phases. These skills were maintained during weekly and biweekly maintenance measures. Generalization measures indicated that the participants demonstrated some increases in their mean total number of correct responses in Phase II and Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase I intervention, and more substantial increases in Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase II intervention. Increased generalization from Phases II to III could likely be explained due to the response similarities in those two skills (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007).^ Based upon the findings of this study, speech-language pathologists should evaluate phonological awareness in the children in their caseloads prior to kindergarten entry, and should allocate time during speech therapy to enhance phonological awareness and letter knowledge to support the development of both skills concurrently. Also, classroom teachers should collaborate with speech-language pathologists to identify at-risk students in their classrooms and successfully implement evidence-based phonemic awareness instruction. Future research should repeat this study including larger groups of children, children with combined speech and language delays, children of different ages, and ESOL students.^

The Effectiveness of Explicit Individualized Phonemic Awareness Instruction By a Speech-Language Pathologist to Preschool Children With Phonological Speech Disorders

This study investigated the effects of an explicit individualized phonemic awareness intervention administered by a speech-language pathologist to 4 prekindergarten children with phonological speech sound disorders. Research has demonstrated that children with moderate-severe expressive phonological disorders are at-risk for poor literacy development because they often concurrently exhibit weaknesses in the development of phonological awareness skills (Rvachew, Ohberg, Grawburg, & Heyding, 2003). The research design chosen for this study was a single subject multiple probe design across subjects. After stable baseline measures, the participants received explicit instruction in each of the three phases separately and sequentially. Dependent measures included same-day tests for Phase I (Phoneme Identity), Phase II (Phoneme Blending), and Phase III (Phoneme Segmentation), and generalization and maintenance tests for all three phases. All 4 participants made substantial progress in all three phases. These skills were maintained during weekly and biweekly maintenance measures. Generalization measures indicated that the participants demonstrated some increases in their mean total number of correct responses in Phase II and Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase I intervention, and more substantial increases in Phase III baseline while the participants were in Phase II intervention. Increased generalization from Phases II to III could likely be explained due to the response similarities in those two skills (Cooper, Heron, & Heward, 2007). Based upon the findings of this study, speech-language pathologists should evaluate phonological awareness in the children in their caseloads prior to kindergarten entry, and should allocate time during speech therapy to enhance phonological awareness and letter knowledge to support the development of both skills concurrently. Also, classroom teachers should collaborate with speech-language pathologists to identify at-risk students in their classrooms and successfully implement evidence-based phonemic awareness instruction. Future research should repeat this study including larger groups of children, children with combined speech and language delays, children of different ages, and ESOL students

The effects of an individualized clinical reading program on kindergarten and beginning grade one at -risk students: A longitudinal study

This was a longitudinal study that investigated the effects of an early intervention program which was implemented at the beginning of formal reading instruction and used individual clinical instruction with at-risk students. A total of 37 private school students were divided into three cognitive ability groups and evaluated over a three year period using the reading comprehension and study skills sections of the Stanford Achievement Tests (1982) administered annually. At-risk students were matched with a normal peer group for gender, cognitive ability, and time at school. Results showed there were no significant differences in the reading comprehension scores for program and non-program students. However, the at-risk group showed significantly lower scores on the study skills section at the end of grade three. These results indicate that early reading intervention for at-risk students promotes compensation and helps develop processes for adequate reading comprehension but these students continue to have weaker linguistic abilities. ^