Search

The report evaluated performance, qualifications, training, and acceptance of occupational specialists (O.S.) in Florida public school districts. Data were provided by 64 school district superintendents, 78 principals of schools employing an O.S., 281 occupational specialists (employed in more than 95 percent of school districts), 548 students, and 117 teachers. Findings indicated that more than 50 percent of O.S. were performing in their jobs as specified by State Board of Education requirements, although some reported additional duties. More than 62 percent of school districts had O.S. training programs, and respondents felt that the O.S. had adequate training, made a worthy contribution to the student body, had a relatively positive acceptance by school staffs, and had qualifications generally exceeding minimum regulations. Recommendations aimed at strengthening the role of the O.S. are listed, and a major portion of the report is devoted to tables and graphs presenting the survey questions, the responses, and providing both raw data and percentages. (MDW)

The purposes of the study were: (1) to compare the occupational achievement of vocational education graduates with that of nonvocational graduates, (2) to determine the number of graduates trained in the various vocational areas, and (3) to describe the group of students enrolled in vocational education courses. The study was limited to 1970 graduates of eight high schools in Arkansas. The data were collected by use of a mail-out questionnaire. Thirty-six percent of the sample of 1,749 returned completed questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to present characteristics of one-year and two-year vocational education graduates. Chi-square analyses were made comparing data and responses of the two-year graduates and a control group of nonvocational graduates. The following are some of the important findings. More two-year graduates than one-year graduates were employed full-time and in jobs in the same area as their training. More of the one-year graduates were unemployed. More one-year than two-year graduates were attending college. Also, the vocational education graduates had significantly higher achievement records in high school than the nonvocational graduates. (Author/NJ)

The purposes of the study were: (1) to ascertain the professional competencies needed by trade and industrial teachers to be effective, as perceived by successful trade and industrial teachers, administrators, supervisors, and teacher educators; (2) to ascertain whether the teachers felt that they had the opportunity and instruction available to develop or acquire the competencies needed to teach effectively; and (3) to construct an instrument for administrators to evaluate trade and industrial teachers' performance. The 169 participants identified 164 competencies in rank order of importance; teachers, administrators, supervisors, and educators were in high agreement as to the necessary competencies and their order of importance. It was discovered that teachers have the greatest opportunity to develop or acquire those competencies to which they assigned highest ratings, while they have less opportunity to develop or acquire those competencies to which they assigned lowest ratings. The competencies were grouped into clusters of: (1) essential preservice competencies, (2) important inservice competencies, and (3) competencies to be developed when time permits. A five-page instrument for administrators and supervisors to use in rating the trade and industrial teachers' performance was developed and is included in the document. The findings of the study are presented in tables of data. (Author/AJ)

Both process and product objectives are focused on in this evaluation report. The design for the process element centered upon the eight major areas of developmental activities, or components, defined for preparing and implementing the career education program: (1) Elementary School Program, (2) Middle School Program, (3) Secondary/Post Secondary School Program, (4) Counseling and Guidance Services, (5) Career Information, Placement and Follow-Up Service, (6) In-Service Education Programs, (7) Community Involvement Programs, and (8) Materials Development and Dissemination Service. All available data sources are reviewed and analyzed in terms of the stated objectives for each of the eight components. The product evaluation involved a student testing program at all instructional levels using an experimental/control group. Test results are reported and the findings summarized. Based on conclusions regarding the achievement of process and product objectives, recommendations are presented for future implementation. Appended are a bibliography and list of data collection instruments used. (RG)

The extent to which specific program objectives were achieved is the focus of the third party evaluation report of the Russellville (Arkansas) two-year K-12 career education project. A brief description of the background, personnel variables (students and staff), and process variables (organization, activities, and objectives) are presented. Evaluation findings for 19 program objectives for both years of the project are detailed in narrative and tabular form. Evaluation instruments included standardized and staff-developed tests, attitude questionnaires, and project records. A chart summarizing the evaluation results shows, for each objective: the measuring instrument(s) used, the expected performance, the target population, results, and whether or not the objective was achieved. Summary statements, conclusions, recommendations, and an appendix containing the standardized measuring instruments used in the evaluation complete the report. Almost all of the objectives were achieved, and there has been a very positive response from students, teachers, and the community. Community involvement was one of the outstanding features of the project. During the 1974-75 year, 788 people from the community participated by serving as classroom speakers or resource persons, sponsoring field trips, or donating materials. (RG)

A novel scoring procedure was investigated in order to obtain scores from a conventional multiple-choice test that would be free of the guessing component or contain a known guessing component even though examinees were permitted to guess at will. Scores computed with the experimental procedure are based not only on the number of items answered correctly, but also on the average quality of both correct and incorrect choices as reflected in the difficulty and discrimination values associated with these choices. The scores resulting from this procedure were compared to number-right and conventional formula scores for predicting guessing-free scores, which are independently determined for the same test. These data suggest that significant increases in reliability can result if score credit is assigned only to items that were answered correctly without guessing on any type. Since the examinees were not aware that the statistical analysis of their tests included a penalty for guessing, findings should be treated with theoretical interest. (Author/BJG)

Caricature and its distortion of reality as developed in the mass press are discussed in relation to the appearance of caricatural elements in other media, such as radio and television. High frequency of appearances of these distorted roles and situations might lead to viewers' perceptual rigidity in typing of characters in general, but might have some positive function in radio and television in "unmasking", amusement, innovation, and communication of complicated social types over time. Exploratory research results suggest that upper middle class children find television programs which rely heavily on caricatural elements less believable than patterns of programing which either appear or are stated to be true, such as some commercials, documentaries, and science presentations. This finding of apparent awareness of caricatural elements is in general agreement with other research in which it was found that advantaged children were less likely than disadvantaged children to believe that television presented an accurate portrayal of the world around them. (See also IR 001 027.) (Author)

Groups of boys and girls at two summer day camps in 1970 were interviewed on the manner in which they viewed television, thought about it, and talked about it among themselves. The areas explored were: (1) the types of programs which they reported liking or disliking, (2) the types of programs which they felt informed them, (3) their attitudes toward commercials, and (4) the factors associated with their perception of the credibility of the various types of presentations of roles, situations, and information. Information also was sought on the manner in which disputes with parents or siblings over which programs to watch were managed. The children were found to prefer entertainment programs and to consider most commercials annoying. Family conflicts over which program to watch appeared to be a powerful stimulus for political interaction within the family. (Author/PF)

Significant needs and additional pressures have been imposed on those persons involved in faculty selection activities on college campuses today. The combination of greater numbers of highly qualified candidates and restricted interview budgets suggests the need for more efficient and less costly methods of employment screening. In addition, further exacerbation of an already difficult situation is developing from the attempts of institutions of higher education to comply with the Affirmative Action Guidelines set forth by the federal government. The videotape technique presented in this document was assessed by the participants in this study to be an extremely valuable tool in the faculty screening preemployment process. In addition, the videotape provided the feedback information necessary to counsel the interviewee with respect to his relative interview strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, this information is based on the comparison of the interviewee's self-perception to the recorded perceptions of this subject by the other raters. This procedure affords the interviewee the opportunity to see himself as others do. Furthermore, the prospective faculty member may gain valuable information from this counseling model pertaining to the clarity and congruence of the message he projects to others, and the degree of receptivity he may expect to enjoy at 2-year vs 4-year institutions in various geographic locations. (Author/PG)

This study was designed to investigate the effect of contract grading on the following variables: student performance on a cognitive posttest, final grade received in the course, student attitude toward the course, the amount of assigned reading completed by the students, the amount of time students devoted to the course, and the degree to which students perceived their individual needs to be met by the course. Six hypotheses were formulated and investigated. Subjects were students in two sections of a college course and the sample was replicated using the same course the following terms. Contract grading was randomly assigned to one section and conventional grading was assigned to the other section. The same instructor taught both groups. Contract grading affected student performance no differently than did conventional grading. A recommendation is made that a subsequent experiment be conducted employing a design allowing all that was done in this study while specifying a more accurate definition of conventional grading. The appendix contains the grade contract used in the study. (RC)

The first part of the thoroughly documented report is described as an effort to clarify and reemphasize the position of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare with regard to the "two-year moratorium on the enactment of legislation that would establish new categories of health personnel." It also presents a preliminary assessment of the States' response to the recommended moratorium and recommends an extension of the moratorium until the end of 1975 to allow a continuation of efforts already initiated. Part 2 explores recent developments in the licensure of health manpower in the following areas: State studies of licensed health manpower; expanding the role of State licensing boards; licensure and the interstate mobility of health manpower; proficiency and equivalency testing; continuing education and its relationship to quality of care; developments in institutional licensure; and the foreign medical graduate. It is hoped the document will be useful to the States and professions in planning new and innovative directions in credentialing, will stimulate increased interprofessional communication, and will be the first step toward a comprehensive and unified health manpower policy. Ten pages of references, some annotated, conclude the report. (Author/NH)

The purpose of the project was to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive vocational education program for career development in Grades K-12, in one metropolitan school district in Florida. Data for the evaluation of the program were collected from students, teachers, counselors, and administrators. The hypotheses for guiding the evaluation of students in career education programs are listed. Achievement in elementary schools, junior high schools, and high schools in career education instruction were measured using specially constructed instruments, and comparison made between a random selection of students in career education schools and in traditional schools. The design included pre and post observations. On the basis of the results it was concluded that achievement in the elementary schools and junior high schools showed no significant difference from the comparison group in regard to scores on the tests designed to measure knowledge about careers. However, high school students in the career group learned more entry level job skills than the comparison students but there was no difference between the groups in relation to scores on a multiple-choice type instrument designed to measure knowledge about careers. A selected bibliography, list of consultants, instruments, and forms used in the study are appended. (Author/EC)