The civic achievement gap: A study on the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools

This study assessed the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic eighth grade students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Florida. Three hundred sixty one Hispanic students of Cuban (253), Colombian (57), and Nicaraguan (51) ancestry from 10 middle schools participated in the study. Two hundred twenty eight students were from low socio-economic status (SES) background, and 133 were of middle SES background. There were 136 boys and 225 girls. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Civic Education Student Questionnaire was used to collect data. The instrument assessed the students’ civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test for differences in the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of participants based on ancestry, SES, and gender. ^ The findings indicated that there was no significant difference in the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic eighth grade students that were of Cuban, Colombian, and Nicaraguan ancestry. There was no significant difference in the civic skills and in five of the civic attitude scales for students from low SES families compared to those from middle SES families. However, there was a significant difference in the civic knowledge and in the civic attitude concerning classroom discussions and participation based on SES. The civic knowledge of middle SES students was higher than that of low SES students. Furthermore, middle SES Hispanic students displayed a higher mean score for the civic attitude of classroom discussions and participation than low SES students. There was no significant difference in the civic knowledge and in five of the civic attitude scales between boys and girls. However, there was a significant difference in the civic skills and the civic attitude of support for women’s rights between boys and girls. Hispanic girls displayed a higher mean score in civic skills than Hispanic boys. Furthermore, the mean score of civic attitude of support for women’s rights for Hispanic girls was higher than that of Hispanic boys. ^ It was concluded that Cuban, Colombian, or Nicaraguan participants did not demonstrate differences in civic attitudes and levels of civic knowledge and skills that eighth grade students possessed. In addition, when compared to boys, girls demonstrated a higher level of civic skills and a greater support for women’s rights and participation in politics and their roles in politics. Moreover, SES was demonstrated to be a key factor in the acquisition of civic knowledge, regardless of ancestry.^

The effects of cross -age peer tutoring on writing and reading comprehension skills and attitudes and self -perceptions as writers of third and fourth grade students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cross-age peer writing response groups on the writing and reading achievement of third and fourth grade students. Students' attitudes about writing and their perceptions of themselves as writers were also measured at the end of the study. ^ One hundred and twenty-two third and fourth grade students enrolled in a public school in a middle-class, multi-cultural neighborhood participated in the study. Four existing classes of students were randomly assigned to either the experimental condition (EC) or the control condition (CC). Both groups were pretested and posttested for writing and reading achievement. The intervention, cross-age peer writing groups, met for eleven weeks. ^ Three hypotheses were examined in this study: (a) writing improvement score, (b) reading comprehension improvement score, and (c) students' attitudes toward writing and their perception of themselves as writers based on the five scales measured on the Writer Self-Perception Scale. ^ ANOVAs were done on the pretests and posttests for writing and the Stanford Achievement Test reading comprehension subtest scores for the year of the study and the previous year. ANOVAs were also done for the five areas of the Writer Self-Perception Scale. Cross-tabulations were also used to compare improvement level verses treatment group, and grade level. ^ Analysis of the data revealed that there was no evidence that the tutoring (EC) groups made more progress than the non-tutoring (CC) groups in writing and reading. There was evidence of growth in writing, especially by the fourth graders. Most importantly, the fourth grade tutors, the experimental group, had the most positive feelings about writing and themselves as writers. ^

Correlations among Coping Skills and Life Satisfaction in Ethnic Older Caregivers

The purpose of the present study is to extend our current understanding of the effects of caregiver burden on life satisfaction by examining whether or not there are ethnic differences in coping strategies used to manage caregiving. Several specific hypotheses were tested in order to determine the linkages among age, gender, ethnicity (i.e., familism, filial piety), caregiver burden, coping with caregiving, and life satisfaction. A total of 103 Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White participants ages 60 and older were included in this study (mean age was 67.42; 16.5% male; 83.5 % female; 52.4% Hispanic; 47.6% Non-Hispanic White). The results suggest that demographics and certain coping skills can influence levels of life satisfaction and burden experienced by caregivers. The findings from this study shed light on how to structure effective psychoeducational interventions, facilitate adaptive coping, reduce burden, and improve life satisfaction for older adult caregivers.

The clinical competency of practicing and nonpracticing faculty of associate degree schools of nursing

This study assesses and describes the perception of clinical competency and the relationship to clinical practice of full-time nursing faculty in the associate degree nursing programs in the state of Florida. The study was developed around one major hypothesis and four research questions. The Hygiene-Motivators Theory proposed by Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman (1959) provided the conceptual framework to explain factors that would motivate a person to expand workload and maintain job satisfaction.^ Data were collected from the 244 faculty members teaching full-time at the 15 associate degree schools of nursing accredited by the National League for Nursing in the state of Florida. A total of 186 faculty (76%) responded and 175 (72%) cases were used for data analysis.^ Two instruments were modified and combined for the investigation. The instruments were the Faculty Perception of Practice Questionnaire (Parascenzo, 1983) and a three-part Attributes Deemed Necessary for Faculty to Proclaim Clinical Competency (Smith, 1991) scale. Computer analyses employing descriptive and inferential statistics were performed.^ The findings revealed that faculty were closely divided as to practice activities with more faculty nonpracticing than practicing. Factors identified as impediments to increased clinical practice were identified as teaching load and personal/family responsibilities that lead to a lack of time and lack of opportunity. Those faculty who practice did so as moonlighters in positions that would not require advanced training. Both the practicing and nonpracticing faculty reported a high level of satisfaction with their activities as a means of maintaining clinical practice. While both groups reported a high level of expertise, those practicing faculty perceived themselves to be more clinically competent on the attributes of knowledge, skills, and on the total attribute scale. It was further revealed that perception of competency declined with the length of time spent out of practice. There was no difference in the two groups on the attributes of values/attitude. ^

An evaluation of coping ability as a guide to the treatment of persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and substance abuse

This dissertation introduced substance abuse to the Dynamic Vulnerability Formulation (DVF) and the social competence model to determine if the relationship between schizophrenic symptomatology and coping ability in the DVF applied also to the dually diagnosed schizophrenic or if these variables needed to be modified. It compared the coping abilities of dually and singly diagnosed clients in day treatment and identified, examined, and assessed the relative influence of relevant mediating variables on two dimensions of coping ability of the dually diagnosed: coping skills and coping effort. These variables were: presence of negative and nonnegative symptoms, duration of mental illness, type of substance used, and age of first substance use.^ A priori effect sizes based on previous empirical research were used to interpret the results related to the comparison of demographic, socioeconomic, and treatment characteristics between the singly and dually diagnosed study samples. The data suggested that the singly diagnosed group had higher coping skills than the dually diagnosed group, particularly in the areas of housing stability, work affect, and total social adjustment. The dually diagnosed group had lower scores on one aspect of coping effort--agency or self-efficacy. The data supported the presence of an inverse relationship between symptom severity and coping skills, particularly for the dually diagnosed group. The data did not support the presence of an inverse relationship between symptom severity and coping effort, but did suggest a positive relationship between symptom severity and one measure of coping effort, agency, for the dually diagnosed group. Regression equations using each summary measure of coping skill--social adjustment and role functioning--yielded statistically significant F-ratios. Thirty-six percent of the variance in social adjustment and thirty-one percent of the variance in role functioning were explained by the relative influence of the relevant variables. Both negative and non-negative symptoms were the only significant predictors of social adjustment. The non-negative symptoms variable was the sole significant predictor of role functioning. The results of this study provided partial support for the use of the Dynamic Vulnerability Formulation (DVF) with the dually diagnosed. ^

Fostering the development of identity and intimacy during late adolescence

This dissertation tested the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention, the Personal Development in the Context of Relationships (PDCR) program. The aim of the PDCR seeks to foster the development (or enhancement) of a sense of identity and intimacy among adolescents who participate in the program. The PDCR is a psychosocial group intervention which utilizes interpersonal relationship issues as a context to foster personal development in identity formation and facilitate the development of an individual's capacity for intimacy. The PDCR uses intervention strategies which include skills and knowledge development, experiential group exercises, and exploration for insight. Participants consisted of 110 late adolescents. A mixed-subjects design (pre-post-follow up) was used to assess the effectiveness, efficacy and utility of the PDCR on the experimental condition relative to a content/social contact control group and a time control condition. Identity exploration and identity commitment were measured by the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire (EIPQ). Total intimacy and identity role satisfaction were measured by the Erikson Psychosocial Stage Inventory (EPSI). Relationship quality and closeness were measured by the Relationship Quality Scale (RQS) and the Relationship Closeness Inventory (RCI) in an effort to assess whether any potential impact on interpersonal relationships occurs. Mixed MANOVAs were used to analyze the data with results yielding significant values for increased total identity exploration from pre to post test and decreases in total identity commitment from pre to post to follow-up test in the experimental group relative to the control conditions on the EIPQ. Further results indicated increases in total intimacy from pre to post to follow-up test in the experimental group relative to the control conditions on the EPSI. No clear trends emerged from pre to post to follow-up test for the Relationship measures. Results are discussed in terms of both practical and theoretical implications. ^

Salient factors in child molestation: Moral development, social competence, and type of offender

The current study was designed to build on and extend the existing knowledge base of factors that cause, maintain, and influence child molestation. Theorized links among the type of offender and the offender's levels of moral development and social competence in the perpetration of child molestation were investigated. The conceptual framework for the study is based on the cognitive developmental stages of moral development as proposed by Kohlberg, the unified theory, or Four-Preconditions Model, of child molestation as proposed by Finkelhor, and the Information-Processing Model of Social Skills as proposed by McFall. The study sample consisted of 127 adult male child molesters participating in outpatient group therapy. All subjects completed a Self-Report Questionnaire which included questions designed to obtain relevant demographic data, questions similar to those used by the researchers for the Massachusetts Treatment Center: Child Molester Typology 3's social competency dimension, the Defining Issues Test (DIT) short form, the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS), the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS), and the Questionnaire Measure of Empathic Tendency (Empathy Scale). Data were analyzed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis, t-tests, and chi-square statistics. Partial support was found for the hypothesis that moral development is a separate but correlated construct from social competence. As predicted, although the actual mean score differences were small, a statistically significant difference was found in the current study between the mean DITP scores of the subject sample and that of the general male population, suggesting that child molesters, as a group, function at a lower level of moral development than does the general male population, and the situational offenders in the study sample demonstrated a statistically significantly higher level of moral development than the preferential offenders. The data did not support the hypothesis that situational offenders will demonstrate lower levels of social competence than preferential offenders. Relatively little significance is placed on this finding, however, because the measure for the social competency variable was likely subject to considerable measurement error in that the items used as indicators were not clearly defined. The last hypothesis, which involved the potential differences in social anxiety, assertion skills, and empathy between the situational and preferential offender types, was not supported by the data. ^

Exploring the role of therapy process and outcome in interventions that target adolescent identity and intimacy

This study examined the feasibility of using a session impact measure with a sample of 24 at risk high school students participating in an intervention targeting identity and intimacy. Three therapists led 3 intervention groups with the same format. The study investigated the impact of therapy process, including Group, Facilitator, Skills, and Exploration impacts as measured by the Session Evaluation Form (SEF). The study also investigated the differential impact of session process on intervention outcome as measured by the CPSS, EPSI, RAVS, EIPQ and Youth Report Form. Analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics, frequencies, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Chi square tests. The results supported the utility of the SEF and they tentatively supported the impact of the therapist on participants' perceptions of therapeutic processes and on intervention outcome. In particular, Group 1 performed better than Group 3. This study found that the SEF is a useful session impact measure. ^

Readiness for school: A study of parent, teacher, and preschool provider perspectives

A possible gap exists between what parents and preschool providers know concerning children's readiness for school and what they should know when compared to teacher expectations. Students are experiencing difficulty in early schooling as a result of this gap in perspectives. This study's purpose was to describe, explain, and analyze the perspectives of parents, teachers, and preschool providers concerning school readiness. The qualitative strategy of interviewing was used with six parents, six teachers, and two preschool provider participants. Interview transcripts, field notes, member checking, and document analysis were used to interpret data and support findings. Categorization and coding organized data and aided in theory development. ^ Major findings of the study include: (a) All participant groups stress social skills, communication skills, and enthusiasm as most valuable for school readiness; (b) All participant groups agree parents have primary responsibility for readiness preparation; (c) Many participants suggest variables concerning family, economics, and home life contribute to a lack of readiness; (d) Parents place greater value on academic skills than teachers or preschool providers; (e) Preschool programs are identified as having the potential to significantly influence readiness; (f) Communicating, providing positive learning experiences, and providing preschool experience are valuable ways to prepare students for school, yet, differences were found in the types of experiences noted; (g) Participant perspectives indicate that informing parents of readiness expectations is of major importance, and they offer suggestions to accomplish this goal such as using public libraries and pediatrician offices as houses for written information and having kindergarten teachers make presentations at preschools. ^ This study concludes that parents and preschool providers do have knowledge concerning readiness for school. They may not, however, be in a position to carry out their responsibilities due to the intervening variables that inhibit the amount of time, interaction, and communication they have with the children in their care. This study discloses the beliefs of parents and preschool providers that children are ready for school, while teachers conclude that many children are not ready. Suggestions for readiness preparation and information dissemination are significant findings that offer implications for practice and future study. ^

Constructing literacy: Disadvantaged Irish mothers' attempts at developing literacy with their preschool children during storybook reading and jigsaw puzzle building

Early childhood research beginning in the 1960s has focused on the literacy experiences of preschool children in the home and the contribution of those experiences to later school success. Decades of research since then have investigated learning experiences of preschool children as they interacted with caregivers, siblings or peers prior to formal schooling (Durkin, 1966; Heath, 1983). ^ In this qualitative investigation into early literacy events that occur between disadvantaged Irish mothers and their children, four research questions were investigated. (1) How do disadvantaged Irish mothers engage their preschool children in literacy events such as storybook reading and jigsaw puzzle building? (2) How does the mother's previous school experience affect her role as the child's first teacher? (3) How does the culture of the neighborhood affect the child's developing literacy? (4) What risk factors inhibit literacy development in these Irish children? ^ This study examined the conversational exchanges between three disadvantaged Irish mothers and their preschool children living near Dublin, Ireland, as the mothers read a storybook to their children and assisted them in jigsaw puzzle building. Conversations were recorded, transcribed and analyzed into reading skill and teaching strategy categories for the purpose of determining the mothers' literacy intent during her turn. Journal notes, field notes and interviews with the mothers recorded other information and allowed for triangulation of data. ^ The results of this investigation indicated four findings. The first finding was that these disadvantaged mothers employed many of the same techniques that classroom teachers use during the reading lesson. They attempted high-level and low-level questions, teaching strategies, and other interactions that are so familiar in the classroom. The second finding was that jigsaw puzzle building produced a richer literacy interaction than storybook reading. The third finding was that the environment of the disadvantaged neighborhood posed many risks to children's literacy development. A final finding was that the mothers used thinking out loud behavior to vocalize their inner thoughts during literacy interactions. ^ Future research suggests studying mother/child dyads in other socio-economic environments and cultures to determine if other mothers practice the same skills and strategies as these mothers. ^

Fatty acids and stable isotopes as indicators of early-life feeding and potential maternal resource dependency in the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas

The degree of reliance of newborn sharks on energy reserves from maternal resource allocation and the timescales over which these animals develop foraging skills are critical factors towards understanding the ecological role of top predators in marine ecosystems. We used muscle tissue stable carbon isotopic composition and fatty acid analysis of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas to investigate early-life feeding ecology in conjunction with maternal resource dependency. Values of δ13C of some young-of-the-year sharks were highly enriched, reflecting inputs from the marine-based diet and foraging locations of their mothers. This group of sharks also contained high levels of the 20:3ω9 fatty acid, which accumulates during periods of essential fatty acid deficiency, suggesting inadequate or undeveloped foraging skills and possible reliance on maternal provisioning. A loss of maternal signal in δ13C values occurred at a length of approximately 100 cm, with muscle tissue δ13C values reflecting a transition from more freshwater/estuarine-based diets to marine-based diets with increasing length. Similarly, fatty acids from sharks >100 cm indicated no signs of essential fatty acid deficiency, implying adequate foraging. By combining stable carbon isotopes and fatty acids, our results provided important constraints on the timing of the loss of maternal isotopic signal and the development of foraging skills in relation to shark size and imply that molecular markers such as fatty acids are useful for the determination of maternal resource dependency.

Metacognitive Strategies and Learning

During the past decade, metacognition has been identified not only as a component of cognition but also as an important factor in learning. This practitioner proposes that educators and educational researchers should focus on the development and implementation of metacognitive learning strategies. The existing metacognitive studies have concentrated on several areas. One area centers on the continuing efforts to identify all the elements of metacognition. Another area concentrates on the roles that metacognition plays in specific learning behaviors that occur at various ages and levels of complexity. The third area investigates the relationships of metacognition to specific content areas of learning by focusing on the effects of metacognitive learning strategies. The most common areas of study have been reading comprehension, math skills, writing skills, and applying metacognitive strategies to learn various subjects using the computer. Directly or indirectly, the existing studies relate to the expanding applications of the relationships and relevancies of metacognition to learning. Considerable evidence confirms that when students use metacognitive strategies they often experience a higher level of learning. This practitioner believes that experiencing higher levels of learning gives students the confidence they need to construct knowledge which promotes lifelong learning.

Hotel and Restaurant Entry-Level Job Competencies: Comparisons of Management and Worker Perceptions

This article presents the findings of a central Florida study of lodging and restaurant managers as well as entry-level workers who were graduates of hospitality management programs. It provides a theoretical construct as a basis of the methodology employed. The article then reports the findings of perceptions of desired knowledge, skills and abilities, and attitudes associated with entry-level employees. It further compares desired levels of preparation for entry-level positions in the industry as reported by respondents of both groups. Finally, the authors present conclusions and implications for central Florida practitioners and educators.

Patterns and effects of notetaking by learning -disabled and nondisabled adolescents: A comparative study

This study analyzes the qualitative and quantitative patterns of notetaking by learning disabled (LD) and nondisabled (ND) adolescents and the effectiveness of notetaking and review as measured by the subjects' ability to recall information presented during a lecture. The study also examines relationships between certain learner characteristics and notetaking. The following notetaking variables were investigated: note completeness, number of critical ideas recorded, levels of processing information, organizational strategies, fluency of notes, and legibility of notes. The learner characteristics examined pertained to measures on achievement, short-term memory, listening comprehension, and verbal ability.^ Students from the 11th and 12th grades were randomly selected from four senior high schools in Dade County, Florida. Seventy learning disabled and 79 nondisabled subjects were shown a video tape lecture and required to take notes. The lecture conditions controlled for presentation rate, prior knowledge, information density, and difficulty level. After 8 weeks, their notes were returned to the subjects for a review period, and a posttest was administered.^ Results of this study suggest significant differences (p $\le$.01) in the patterns of notetaking between LD and ND groups not due to differences in the learner characteristics listed above. In addition, certain notetaking variables such as process levels, number of critical ideas, and note completeness were found to be significantly correlated to learning outcome. Further, deficiencies in the spontaneous use of organizational strategies and abbreviations adversely affected the notetaking effectiveness of learning disabled students.^ Both LD and ND subjects recalled more information recorded in their notes than not recorded. This difference was significant only for the ND group. By contrast, LD subjects compensated for their poor notetaking skills and recalled significantly more information not recorded on their notes than did ND subjects. The major implications of these findings suggest that LD and ND subjects exhibit very different entry behaviors when asked to perform a notetaking task; hence, teaching approaches to notetaking must differ as well. ^

The early development and pilot -testing of a case management intervention with victims of stalking: An evaluation study

This study evaluated the early development and pilot-testing of Project IMPACT, a case management intervention for victims of stalking. The Design and Development framework (Rothman & Thomas, 1994) was used as a guide for program development and evaluation. Nine research questions examined the processes and outcomes associated with program implementation. ^ The sample included all 36 clients who participated in Project IMPACT between February of 2000 and June of 2001, as well as the victim advocates who provided them with services. Quantitative and qualitative data were drawn from client case files, participant observation field notes and interview transcriptions. Quantitative data were entered into three databases where: (1) clients were the units of analysis (n = 36), (2) services were the units of analysis (n = 1146), and (3) goals were the units of analysis (n = 149). These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's Chi-square, Spearman's Rho, Phi, Cramer's V, Wilcoxon's Matched Pairs Signed-Ranked Test and McNemar's Test Statistic. Qualitative data were reduced via open, axial and selective coding methods. Grounded theory and case study frameworks were utilized to analyze these data. ^ Results showed that most clients noted an improved sense of well-being and safety, although residual symptoms of trauma remained for numerous individuals. Stalkers appeared to respond to criminal and civil justice-based interventions by reducing violent and threatening behaviors; however, covert behaviors continued. The study produced findings that provided preliminary support for the use of several intervention components including support services, psycho-education, safety planning, and boundary spanning. The psycho-education and safety planning in particular seemed to help clients cognitively reframe their perceptions of the stalking experience and gain a sense of increased safety and well-being. A 65% level of satisfactory goal achievement was observed overall, although goals involving justice-based organizations were associated with lower achievement. High service usage was related to low-income clients and those lacking in social support. Numerous inconsistencies in program implementation were found to be associated with the skills and experiences of victim advocates. Thus, recommendations were made to further refine, develop and evaluate the intervention. ^