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The purpose of the study was to understand the high school counselor’s perception of the integration of the AchieveTexas College and Career Initiative at the local level, determine how much time high school counselors spent on the four components of the Texas Comprehensive Developmental Guidance program (including AchieveTexas), and identify the perceptions of success and barriers within the implementation process. In the summer of 2012, perceptions of high school counselors of the local implementation of AchieveTexas in Regions 13 and 20 in Texas on their campuses were examined using an online survey. These regions were targeted because their districts had offered and/or received professional development for counselors regarding the local implementation of AchieveTexas. High school counselors reported that successful outcomes for implementation of AchieveTexas included increased enrollment in Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses (67.9%), increased number of applications for admission to postsecondary institutions (64.2%), and increased graduation rates (62.3%). Barriers to implementation of the AchieveTexas initiative included lack of time and/or information and counselor to student ratios. Overall, the successful implementation of AchieveTexas requires “buy-in” of principals, counselors, teachers, parents, and the surrounding community. Findings of the study suggest that the AchieveTexas initiative is a tool to guide local districts to implement career clusters on their local campus and help students acquire college and career readiness skills that will benefit them in their future. AchieveTexas requires collaboration at various levels to achieve this goal.

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education prepares students for family life, work life and learning through real-life experiences, while providing possibilities to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors to be successful in a changing, competitive, global environment (Redick, 1995). The purpose of this study was to examine if experiential curriculum delivered in a traveling trunk about a social issue changed student learning when experienced teachers facilitate learning. The embedded mixed method study collected quantitative and qualitative data in the form of pre/post testing to measure student learning. The trunk delivery method was used as the intervention to distinguish if improvements in the learning are dependent on the delivery method. The learning experience was explored with observations and teacher interviews to look at the relationships between teacher and student interactions with the trunk curriculum, teacher experience and student learning. This study showed learning gains occurred when experiential curriculum focused on global hunger was facilitated by experienced teachers, and delivered in a traveling trunk. The study conducted in three schools in West Texas in six FCS classrooms, (N=58) showed that active learning about social issues engages students. Paired t-tests revealed a significant difference in learning for the experimental group, (n=34) at the p < .05 level when comparing their answers on the pre-test about hunger with their answers on the posttest following the curriculum experience. Qualitative findings suggest an enriched learning experience with benefits including student interest and curiosity, prepackaged curricula, development of process skills, and the topic of a social issue.

The purpose of this study was to investigate across the nation the level of self-efficacy Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) student teachers report as related to their integration of technology and completion of technology tasks that are aligned with the National Educational Standards for Teachers (NETS-T). FCS teachers’ level of self-efficacy for the integration of technology was examined during the 2012 spring semester utilizing an online survey. From the 2009-2010 National Directory of Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Education, 104 universities were verified as having FCS teacher certification programs; seventy FCS student teachers across the nation responded to the request to participate in the online survey. Chi-square statistical analysis was used to cross-tabulate demographic/background and technology variables as contributors to the level of self-efficacy of FCS student teachers. FCS student teachers reported some to no anxiety related to technology integration. Similar findings in completing a technological task aligned with the NETS-T resulted in the sample being quite to completely confident in accomplishing tasks. Chi-square analysis revealed no specific trends or explicit indication of demographic/background and technology variables as contributors to the level of self-efficacy of FCS student teachers. Overall, FCS student teachers reported low levels of anxiety and high levels of confidence in accomplishing many of the tasks for the integration of technology with no clearly identified factors contributing to the level of self-efficacy for the integration of technology.

The older population, individuals who are 65 years old or older, in the United States reached 39 million in 2009 and is projected to reach 89 million by year 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2009). The Texas Department of Aging (2003) predicted that the older population in Texas will reach 8.1 million by year 2040, comprising 23% of the total population in the United Sates. Services for older adults, such as home health care and community care, have been identified to have the highest projected employment growth rates among other occupations in Texas by year 2014 (Texas Workforce Commission, 2008). With the enormous growth of older population and the change of age structure, particular attention is required to provide necessary services for older adults to accommodate their needs. This study explored current Texas high school students’ perceptions and attitudes toward older adults. Respondents in the study consisted of high school students between 8th and 12th grade (N = 715) from 20 school districts in Texas, who enrolled in courses in either the Human Services or the Health Science Career Clusters. They were asked to complete a 69-item questionnaire about their prior experiences with older adults, perceptions of older adults, course information, awareness of career opportunities in the services for older adults, attitudes toward working with older adults after graduation, interests for future employment and post-secondary education, and their background information. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM). The data showed that Texas high school students’ attitudes toward working with older adults were positively influenced by their prior experiences with older adults (β = .22, p < .001) and their course experiences that included gerontology content (β = .82, p < .01). Also, their future plans for employment and post-secondary education were significantly influenced by these two factors (β = .49, p ≤ .001 and β = 1.85, p < .01, respectively). In addition, a statistical significance was found in the relationship of high school students’ perceptions and their attitudes toward working with older adults (β = -.57, p ≤ .05). However, no significant relationship existed between students’ prior experiences and their perceptions of older adults. Courses that included gerontology content were identified to be significantly influential to high school students’ perceptions of older adults, awareness of career opportunities in the services for older adults, attitudes toward working with older adults, and their interests for future employment and post-secondary education. Course enrollment may be viewed as a controllable factor that teachers and educators may pose direct impacts on students. This finding indicated the importance of the inclusion of gerontology content into current high school curriculum that would improve students’ positive attitudes toward older adults and increase their understanding and interests for future employment and post-secondary education after graduation from high school.

This study was conducted to investigate Family and Consumer Sciences teachers’ feelings of being prepared and supported for teaching students with disabilities. Their need for professional development in teaching students with disabilities was also examined as well as their preferences for the delivery methods of additional professional development. Descriptive statistical methods were used to analyze the teachers’ feelings. Correlations and backward regression were used to determine whether experience, grade level taught, content area, or type of preparation for certification had an impact on their feelings of being prepared and supported for teaching students with disabilities and their professional development needs. The study showed that FCS teachers wanted professional education opportunities focused on teaching students with disabilities within inclusive programs. They wanted the education to be training materials, focused within FCS content areas, and for teaching in secondary level courses. Due to time constraints the FCS teachers preferred that the professional development be offered at the summer Tri-Cluster or Midwinter conferences, so that they would not have to take time away from their teaching during the academic year.

Background of Problem: There are no functional measures of movement quality that can be utilized in the clinical setting to assess the osteoarthritic patient population which have displayed adequate reliability or validity. Previous research shows that the visual observational assessment (VOA) tool is the best method of qualitative measure. However, the VOA tool has only moderate reliability and no evidence exists on the validity of measures through VOA. Purpose: Determine if applying a standard method of education, Cognitive Apprenticeship (CA), would significantly improve inter-rater & intra-rater reliability and concurrent validity of student physical therapist measures of movement quality in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis to statistically and clinically significant levels. Research Design: A two group pretest-posttest control group design was used to compare the intra- and inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of visual observational assessments (VOA) obtained from student physical therapists (SPT) who underwent the CA educational intervention to SPT’s who did not. A 2x2 mixed design ANOVA was used to examine differences between groups and within groups. Results: No significant difference was found between any group or time for inter-tester reliability. For intra-tester reliability a significant within groups effect was present (F(1/45) = 9.63, p < 0.05, η2=0.18, Power=0.86); post hoc t-tests revealed significant improvement in the intervention group (t(23)=3.74, p0.025, d=0.57, Power=0.63). Conclusions: Cognitive Apprenticeship educational intervention appears to significantly improve intra-tester reliability and concurrent validity to statistically and clinically (≥0.90) significant levels necessary for application of visual observational assessment in clinical decision-making in the osteoarthritic patient population.

The millennial generation (individuals born between 1980 and 2000) began attending institutions of higher learning around 2000, and a number of authors have proposed how they will impact the university systems and how universities should respond. Several authors have suggested that students and their parents are scrutinizing universities more in an attempt to make sure their needs and/or desires are being met. Some are suggesting that universities need to place greater emphasis on meeting the demands of the consumers they already have and those they wish to attract. While this thought may be controversial to some, universities are spending a great deal on money on recruitment, and competition has increased. Howe and Strauss (2000 & 2003) propose that millennial generation students are different than their predecessors, and success in interaction with these students involves acknowledging and responding to seven characteristics they attribute to this population. The characteristics are special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving. While general support for these characteristics exists, the opinions of college students as they relate to these characteristics do not exist. Additionally, the characteristics have been applied to the generation homogenously, and allowances for differences by groups have not been applied. This study assessed whether there were differences by ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family history of education, and geographical area of primary and secondary education. Undergraduate students enrolled in general education classes at Texas Tech University (n = 1,232) completed a voluntary survey that assessed their attitudes toward the seven characteristics assigned to them. They were asked to assess their agreement with the seven characteristics as they related to them personally and as they related to their peers. In addition, student satisfaction with their university experience was assessed in an attempt to identify factors that would aid universities in recruitment and retention. Student agreement with the seven characteristics was relatively high for all of the characteristics except for team-oriented and sheltered. Statistically significant differences were found between generational self perception and generational peer perception for six of the seven characteristics, and significant differences for both self and peer perceptions for the seven characteristics were found by gender, ethnicity, family history of education, and geographical area of primary and secondary education. Additionally, a factor analysis produced eight factors related to student satisfaction, and differences between groups were found for the factors of satisfaction.

In recent years, the increased number of women in the hospitality industry and their underrepresentation in top management positions has made women's status in the industry a great concern. The purpose of the study was to examine hospitality students' educators', and industry recruiters' perceptions of factors that facilitate and constrain women's career advancement and determine if there were any significant differences among them. The study went further to identify what hospitality students, educators and recruiters think hospitality education programs should do to better prepare women for leadership positions and ways to help reduce the barriers that may exist to women's career advancement. Data for this study were collected through an online survey from a convenience sample (N = 226) including hospitality students, educators and industry recruiters nationwide. The instrument used in this study was adapted with the permission of Brownell (1994) and Ng & Pine (2003). Data analysis was performed by using t-tests, confirmatory factor analysis, factor analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Content analysis was conducted for analyzing the open-ended questions. Findings from the MANOVA and follow up analysis suggest that there were no significant gender and group (students, educators, and recruiters) interaction effects. However, three significant gender differences (Equity, Family Issues, and Advancement) and four group differences (Equity, Family Issues, Advancement, and External) were found in perceptions of factors that facilitate and constrain women's career advancement. In terms of gender, the mean scores of males were lower than females, and in terms of group differences, the mean scores of recruiters were lower than both students and educators. In responses to the open-ended questions, the majority of respondents indicated that hospitality educational programs should provide courses to improve awareness of obstacles within the industry as well as leadership skills, communication skills, problem solving skills and other skills necessary for women to be equipped for success. Some respondents thought there were no barriers to women's career advancement, and others felt little could be done in educational programs to change the situation in regard to women’s position in the hospitality industry. The findings suggested that hospitality education programs could make a contribution by revealing the existence of barriers and gender issues in the industry. This could be accomplished by developing courses on necessary skills, and providing more mentors and role models (especially female professionals) for students. Several implications for hospitality educators and industry recruiters on curriculum design and industry training were noted. Hospitality education should play an important role in preparing future leaders and create a more equitable environment for women. Future research should concentrate on broadening the impact of the various components, such as conducting qualitative in-depth interviews to evaluate mentor programs and industry recruitment procedures.

Pre-exercise stretching has the potential to influence the ability of the active muscular control system to dynamically stabilize affected joints during high-risk athletic maneuvers. Likewise, even though controversial research evidence exists regarding the role of stretching, many athletes continue to perform pre-exercise stretching and continue to believe it is important to engage in this practice, suggesting an underlying psychosocial interaction. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to: (1) explore the influence of pre-exercise stretching on measures of neuromuscular control of the lower extremity during landing; (2) evaluate the relationship between historical educational messages about pre-exercise stretching and current perceptions of its value; (3) evaluate the relationship between subjects’ perceptions and actual performance outcomes; (4) investigate the influence of the type of warm-up intervention on subjects’ perceptions of its value; and (5) evaluate the influence of current educational messages on perceptions of the value of pre-exercise stretching. Forty-four college-age recreationally active individuals participated in a clinical control trial design requiring one day of testing involving a warm-up followed by a vertical drop jump test before and after a stretching intervention or rest period. The stretch-intervention group participated in a 16 minute stretching routine, while the control group rested for the same time period. Pre and Post-intervention measurements of electromyography (EMG), knee and hip kinematics, ground reaction force (GRF), and muscle flexibility of the dominant lower extremity were examined for both groups. The EMG, kinematic, and GRF measurements were gathered during the first landing phase of a vertical drop jump test. Upon completion of the second vertical drop jump test, subjects completed a survey instrument utilizing a standard visual analogue scale to evaluate perceptions. Inferential statistical analyses demonstrated no significant differences between the stretching and control groups in EMG, kinematic, GRF or flexibility measurements as a result of the stretching intervention. Additionally, correlation analyses found no relationship between what the subjects had been taught regarding the value of pre-exercise stretching and their perception of its value, yet a positive relationship was found between perceptions and the actual vertical drop jump measures. Finally, inferential statistical analyses revealed that written educational messages significantly altered subjects’ perceptions of the value of pre-exercise stretching. Based on these findings it was suggested that a moderate stretching routine prior to a landing task may not negatively influence the ability of the neuromuscular system to safely control joint motion during landing. Likewise, it was concluded that current educational messages can alter perceptions of the value of pre-exercise stretching and perceptions about a specific warm-up routine may influence performance outcomes, possibly as a result of a heightened state of self-efficacy.

This study was conducted to investigate the teaching style of university faculty who teach courses in Family and Consumer Sciences teacher education programs in Texas and to determine how those teaching styles might be related to computer use in the college classroom. Standard multiple regression analysis was used to determine the relationship to computer use in the classroom as measured by variables that included university faculty members’ preferences in instructional planning, teaching methods, student groupings, classroom design, instructional environment, evaluation techniques, teaching characteristics and classroom management, and educational philosophy. Related issues, such as university faculty’s perceived use of computers in instructional delivery, years of computer experience, numbers of attended computer related learning activities, types of access for computer use, attitudes toward computer-based instruction, and perceived level of computer and technology skills were also explored with regard to classroom computer use at the university/college level. Seventy-four faculty members in ten universities in Texas that were identified as providing Family and Consumer Sciences teacher certification programs participated in the study. University faculty members’ preferred teaching styles and use of the computers were determined to test the null hypothesis of this study. Results indicated that one teaching style variable, evaluation techniques, was found to have a relationship to computer use in the classroom. No differences were found between classroom computer use and university faculty’s years of experience using computers or number of attended computer related learning activities. The current study did show that type of access to computers influenced faculty use in the classroom. University faculty who taught in computer labs showed a higher level of computer use than did those with other types of computer access. Likewise, the study found increased classroom computer use among those faculty members who perceived their level of computer and technology skills to be above average. Overall, university faculty members rated their attitudes toward computer-based instruction as supportive, yet identified factors that they perceived as barriers to increasing computer use in the classroom. Specifically, these barriers included availability of up-to-date hardware and software, the need for computers and related technology to be permanently located in the classroom, and the lack of continuing professional development in how to integrate technology into the curriculum.

It is a complex assignment to value the monetary return of education. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge with regard to the value placed on financial literacy education in Texas public high schools. This study demonstrates the use of a technique of economic analysis based on welfare economics called Contingent Valuation Method. This economic tool is used for estimating the value that a person places on an intangible, non-market good or service. In this study the contingent valuation method is used to obtain an estimate of the value of the implementation of financial literacy education in Texas public schools. A survey was developed, pre-tested, pilot tested and administered on-line to a sample of Texas Parent Teacher Association (Texas PTA) members. From a sample of approximately 3,100 Texas PTA members’ there were a total of 279 usable responses from April 1, 2005 to May 12, 2005. The majority of the subjects who participated in the study were Caucasian/white, female, predominantly married, between the ages of 40-49, employed either full- or part-time, had median annual income of $75,000 to $99,000, and were homeowners with mortgages. The results of the study suggest that Texas PTA members’ are willing to pay four cents (4.3) to five cents (5.4) per $100 in property taxes in addition to the $1.55 per $100 in property taxes they currently pay, for the implementation of financial literacy education in Texas public schools. Furthermore, results indicate that Texas PTA members’ believe there is insufficient funding for financial literacy education in Texas public schools. For the most part, additional gambling venues and an increase in state sales tax proved to be acceptable revenue sources for added funding for education. On the other hand, a state income tax proved to be the least preferred revenue source for further funding of education. When looking at items which make up the financial satisfaction scale, preparedness for emergencies and level of debt proved to be the statistically significant components of the scale. These findings with regard to financial satisfaction suggest that as Texas PTA members’ willingness-to-pay for financial literacy increases, their reported overall degree of financial satisfaction tends to decline.

The prevalence of obesity in United States adults from 1988 to 2000 skyrocketed from 22.9% to 30.5%. The healthcare community is struggling to find solutions to combat this epidemic. Several weight loss diet studies have demonstrated that low carbohydrate diets may be a reasonable alternative for individuals (including those with diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and high blood pressure) who have not had success losing with standard low-fat and diabetic diets. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of an ultra-low-carbohydrate diet for treating obesity adults. Participants were overweight or obese, non-pregnant, English speaking adults. They were randomly divided into two diet groups: (a) ultra-low carbohydrate (no calorie limit, 5% CHO, 35% protein, and 60% fat) and (b) balanced low calorie (1100 calorie, 55% CHO, 15% protein, and 30% fat, „T 10% saturated fat, „T 300 mg cholesterol, and „d 25 grams fiber). At baseline, study participants received instruction on specified diets, and they had anthropometric measurements taken (weight, blood pressure, and body fat using bioimpedance). Laboratory data was solicited throughout the study to determine an impact of each diet on blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. The study lasted 20 weeks, with subjects receiving follow-up group counseling on specified diets and routine measurement of anthropometrics data. At each group meeting subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire to either gather baseline data, measure diet compliance and satisfaction, or to evaluate the study. Although both diet groups demonstrated weight loss, body fat loss and blood pressure reductions, the differences between the diet groups were not significant. Both HDL cholesterol and triglycerides demonstrated significant positive outcomes between the two diet groups (p < .05). Cronbach¡¦s Alpha demonstrated poor reliability for the satiety and compliance survey. Participation retention declined throughout the study with an average dropout rate of 14.9% per meeting.

The purposes of this study were to (a) establish conceivable indexes for professional competencies of heritage interpreters, (b) evaluate the existing training curriculum of heritage interpreters, and (c) examine the impacts of interpretation services on tourists¡¦ satisfaction at a tourist destination. Based on these specific objectives, three distinct studies were conducted. The first study aimed to identify interpreters¡¦ competencies through a self-reported survey obtained from the groups of heritage interpreters, hospitality educator, students, and tourists at the heritage sites. The second study summarized the opinions of interpreters and hospitality educators concerning an active interpretation-training curriculum. The third study examined the differences in satisfaction levels regarding tourists who received interpretation services (personal and nonpersonal interpretation services) at a popular tourist destination in Taiwan. Major findings include: (a) ¡§work attitude¡¨, ¡§basic employability skills¡¨, ¡§theories of interpretation education¡¨, ¡§field work of interpretation knowledge¡¨, ¡§preparation and planning of interpretation¡¨, ¡§skills and training of interpretation¡¨, ¡§research ability¡¨, and ¡§handling emergency situation¡¨ were recognized as the important competency categories for a competent heritage interpreter, (b) training courses identified by heritage interpreters and hospitality educators could be categorized into the following categories: professional knowledge, interpretation techniques, related regulations, safety and emergency handling, on-site training, and (c) tourists had positive responses to both personal and non-personal interpretive services; however, as the availability of the personal interpretive services were limited, tourists selected non-personal interpretive services while they visited the site to obtain the information. The findings of the studies may contribute to interpreters¡¦ training and to the tourism industry in general. The outcomes of the study identified competencies that would serve as the basis toward developing an effective interpretation training curriculum that can improve heritage interpreters¡¦ training in Taiwan. In addition, the findings may motivate interpreters to seek professional development opportunities in the future. Tourists would benefit from the quality interpretation services offered by the interpreters who have received competency-based training programs derivate from this study. Managerial implications and suggestions for future research directions were included.

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