Search

The relative appeal and effectiveness of several television lesson formats designed for adult learners in an open university learning system were evaluated. One hundred and fifty-four subjects viewed video lesson segments in two college course areas, Accounting and Psychology. A variety of TV formats were used, including story-lines, short vignettes, animation, sharers of information, and illustrated lectures. The intent was to produce instructional television rather than televised instruction. Subjects responded to content and attitude questionnaires and were interviewed in depth. The results suggested guidelines for acceptable formats for instructional television designed for adult learners. (Author)

This study was designed to determine the characteristics of potential students for a multi-media off-campus approach to college education. The Nebraska program is modeled after England's Open University. Key questions focus on unique student characteristics and needs which would influence course development. Responses from 4,000 adults and high school students were screened to develop a pool of "likely" clientele. This group proved to be significantly different from an uninterested group, but quite heterogeneous in age, education, and interests. These results indicate that planners must attend to individual differences much greater than those encountered in typical on-campus settings. (Author)

Several problems that an evaluator of an experimental college has to face and resolve are considered. These include: (1) the purpose of the evaluation and the role of the evaluator, (2) the utility of a research design model, (3) the specificity of program goals before the evaluation is planned, and (4) the appropriateness of standardized or local assessment instruments. Evaluation problems of the Centennial Education Program at the University of Nebraska, which included 125 college freshmen and 50 upperclassmen, are discussed. Results of the evaluation revealed some clear differences in student development between those in the experimental college and those not in the program. Students in the program were found to have closer relationships to faculty and other students, read more non-required books, showed a greater preference for participatory academic activities, showed greater interest in reflective thought, an increased fondness for novelty, and were less practical and materialistic than their counterparts in the control group. No significant difference on any index of academic achievement or ability was noted. Random assignment of students was made in establishing the experimental and control groups. The use of a research model for assessment provided reliable indices of the effectiveness of the experimental program. (AE)

University supported residence halls should make some significant contribution to the development of the individual resident. Programming in the halls ought to have three major objectives, three dimensions along which change should take place: (1) social-personal value systems; (2) receptivity and sensitivity to cultural experiences; and (3) general intellectual development. A two and one-half day training period was held to set the tone and emphasis desired for residence hall programming. The programming tactics are explained. Residence hall staff members were encouraged to assume an active role in planning and implementing programs for the halls. They no longer needed to depend on floor governments to initiate activities. Specific methods for resolving group tasks are described as is the generation of ideas, and program selection. Groupings on residence floors should take advantage of the natural six-twelve man friendship groupings, planning mainly for these groups and encouraging heterosexual groupings for programs. "Creative projects" are believed to be useful in helping students and staff to become more innovative and to have a greater impact on their peers. Through encouraged confrontation with the outside, growth in the three areas above is more likely. (Author/KJ)

The purpose of this investigation was to: (1) assess parental perceptions of a university environment and compare them with those of students; (2) compare the perceptions of parents of entering freshmen and upperclassmen; and (3) investigate whether or not parental perceptions of the university were independent of how they characterize their own college sons or daughters. Parents completed the College and University Environment Scales and the Adjective Check List on which they described their children. There were wide discrepancies between the environmental perceptions of parents and students, but few differences between parents of entering freshmen and upperclassmen. There were a number of significant relationships between campus perceptions and college son or daughter characterizations for parents of upperclassmen, but only one for freshmen parents. A number of possible reasons are suggested for these results, including selective reporting by students to parents, and reduction of cognitive dissonance on the part of parents. (Author)

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there were identifiable characteristics that distinguish male students who change their academic goals during their first year in college from those who persist. The subjects were 244 students, half of whom were science students, and half humanities students, with half of each group changing, and half persisting. The Omnibus Personality Inventory (OPI), an Intellectual Activities Check List, and a questionnaire were used to gather raw data which was treated statistically with analysis of variance and Chi-square procedures. Clear differences between persisters and changers were noted in science students, with changers higher in flexibility, independence, tolerance of ambiguity, and general receptiveness. In humanities students, however, the differences between persisters and changers were in the opposite direction. Interaction effects and attitude differences are discussed as contributory to these findings. (BP)

Research investigated the relationships between the characteristics of adult learners, aged 17 to 67, and their responses to learning via multi-media instructional programs. Students read materials in accounting and psychology, viewed video lessons and listened to audio tapes; post-treatment data were then collected. Results showed that: 1) the adult learner's educational level, enjoyment of educational television, self-concept, past academic achievement and future educational plans were all positively related to his reactions to innovative techniques; 2) general interest in the lesson was related to the degree to which the learners found the material useful; 3) reactions regarding both interest and usefulness varied for different subjects and different instructional formats; and 4) achievement of posttests was related to different learner characteristics for different subjects. It was concluded that adult learners reacted positively to the mediated approaches, but that both subject matter and personal characteristics influenced achievement and student acceptance. This suggested that the design of instructional meterials for adults in an open learning system will need to consider the subject matter at hand, as well as the specific nature of the target population, their interests and their backgrounds. (Author/LB)

Research evaluated the effectiveness of varying television (TV) lesson formats. Adults ranging in age from 17 to 58 viewed lessons in accounting and psychology in four formats featuring: 1) a storyline running through a lesson; 2) a news magazine format dealing with different concepts in one lesson; 3) a non-authoritarian narrator; and 4) an authoritarian narrator. Results from achievement tests, interest ratings and student interviews revealed the following: 1) attitude outcomes were more influenced by TV format than were learning outcomes; 2) older adults showed a greater preference for authority figures; 3) the more interesting the course content was to the learner, the more he preferred a straight-forward presentation; 4) all learners preferred realism, positive themes, documentary approaches and identification of instructional goals; 5) subjects often learned more than they expected and were surprised at how enjoyable the process was; and 6) younger learners were more responsive than older students to subtle instructional formats, but there was some overlap. It was concluded that adults do learn from innovative TV formats, that such formats do have holding power, and that individual formats have varying appeal to different groups. (Author/LB)

Research indicates that planners of a program modeled after England's Open University must attend to individual differences much greater than those encountered in typical on-campus settings. (Author/PG)

This monograph resulted from the initial phase of the American College Personnel Association's project "Tomorrow's Higher Education." The monograph's purposes are to: (1) look at the predictions and proposals being made for higher education in terms of their implications for student development; (2) examine student development research and key concepts to see if they suggest alternatives for the future of higher education that merit more attention than they are being given; and (3) make recommendations for those planning the future of higher education and student personnel programs. The monograph finds that higher education must recognize that excellence in student development should be a primary goal in educational planning. (Author/CS)

THIS STUDY ATTEMPTED TO PROVIDE DEFINITIVE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEVISION INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY UNDER VARIED CONDITIONS. THE SAMPLE OBTAINED INCLUDED PREDOMINANTLY WHITE AND NEGRO SCHOOLS USING TELEVISION (FOUR OF EACH), AND PREDOMINANTLY WHITE AND NEGRO SCHOOLS NOT USING TELEVISION (SIX AND ONE). GROSS QUALITATIVE JUDGMENTS OF THE (1) ADEQUACY OF LABORATORY FACILITIES, (2) QUALITY OF TEACHERS, AND (3) MENTAL ABILITY OF STUDENTS WERE USED AS CONTROLS. EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEVISION TEACHING WAS MEASURED BY A COMPARISON OF STUDENT GRADES ON A STANDARDIZED CHEMISTRY TEST GIVEN IN BOTH THE TELEVISION AND NONTELEVISION SCHOOLS. WHILE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE NOTED, THE RESULTANT DATA PROVED INCONCLUSIVE, PROBABLY BECAUSE OF (1) THE INADEQUACY OF THE SAMPLE SIZE, (2) THE INABILITY TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE CONTROLS, AND (3) THE GROSS MEASURES USED IN THE VARIABLES. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT IN FUTURE STUDIES STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO INSURE CONTROL OF THE TELEVISION USERS SO PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCES CAN BE ASSIGNED TO THE SPECIFIC INFLUENCE OF TELEVISION OR TO OTHER FACTORS. (PM)

Requests for reprints should be sent to: Robert D. Brown, University Counseling Service, 108 Administration Building, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.

This article looks at college personnel work during the 60's with emphasis on: (1) use of resident advisors; (2) Black Student movement; (3) counseling services; and (4) reform in counselor education. (CJ)

The results of this study suggest that counselor first impressions are related to selected outcomes and should be considered in making counselor client assignments. (Author)

Results revealed that it is possible to make generalizations about characteristics of curricular changers and persisters within science and humanities curriculums, but it is difficult to generalize about changers and persisters across academic fields. (Author/EK)

The article describes a living learning arrangement that tries to create a living learning environment. (BY)

Tremendous discrepancies between student and parent perceptions of the environment suggest that even though parents may have a reporter on the scene," their perceptions are still not congruent with those of students. (Author)

The results of this study on evaluation of coed residence halls, indicate that a coed hall can lead to an entirely different environment, one that is a contributing factor in positive student development. This paper was presented at the APGA Convention, Chicago, Illinois, 1972. (JC)