Doctoral Dissertations

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The act and activities of invention: an autobiographical phenomenological case study of a visualizing inventor
Lush, Craig L. (Virginia Tech, 1995-12-07)
The purpose of this research was to further my understanding of the inventive experience by capturing the perceptible thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions that occur during the development of a Patentable Invention. The author, subject of the study, is an experienced inventor with numerous Patents issued and pending. The invention produced during this research was a mechanical device comprised of approximately seventy parts. Documentation of the product was through a formal Application for a U.S. Patent, filed pro se, and accompanied by nine pages of formal drawings also generated by the Researcher/Subject. The qualitative research process employed a phenomenological framework and included a variety of established data collection techniques, many of which had not previously been applied to the study of invention. Guided by the question of better understanding the experience of invention and its meaning, data were collected in written, verbal, and drawn form. An emphasis on real-time data collection avoided many of the pitfalls of autobiographical and retrospective verbal techniques. Over one hundred pages of transcribed data and over 400 developmental drawings were produced and analyzed. In addition to the traditional qualitative data analysis processes, the researcher developed a variety of data organization, coding, and analysis techniques providing quantitative insight into graphical data.
Adult education in the art museum: a content analysis of acoustical guides in American art museums
Shaw, Marilyn B. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1976)
This study was concerned with identifying, describing, and analyzing the content components of selected transcripts of acoustical guides used in major American art museums to aid adult audiences in interpreting or enjoying the art on exhibit. The principal objectives of the research were to characterize the content of these recorded tours and to analyze patterns of content emphasis among museums. Additionally, the study examined the general availability and use of recorded tours, the audiences for which they were designed, the authorship of scripts, the basis for decisions about script content, and the script preparation and production processes. Acoustical tour guide transcripts from ten major American art museums, the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Guggenheim Museum, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Milwaukee Art Center, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, provided the material for content analysis. A questionnaire to collect background information and to identify the accessible population was developed, mailed to, and returned by forty-eight art museums in the forty largest American cities. A content analysis instrument was developed for the study which characterized the transcript content in thirteen categories reflecting distinct differences in content emphasis. In all, 10,477 sentence and phrase units from thirty-eight full-length and thirty-three short recorded tour transcripts from ten art museums were categorized. Data resulting from the content analysis were tabulated and presented descriptively and statistically. Descriptive analysis consisted of frequency distributions of content units classified by content category; statistical analysis employed the chi-square test to test for the independence of content distribution and particular museums and exhibition types which the recorded tours accompanied. Statistical tests of the independence of content, museums, and exhibition types indicated a lack of independence among them. Patterns of content in recorded tours reflected a predominantly descriptive and specific orientation: commentary was generally more objective than subjective, more pedagogical than andragogical, more declarative than interactive, more concrete than abstract. General Description or Explanation and Art Historical Context accounted for the highest frequencies of content units. Relatively little transcript content was interpretive, evaluative, or abstract. Almost no specific references were made to the philosophy or psychology of art or to multiple ways of approaching the art experience. It was recommended that script authors consider writing more subjectively, more qualitatively, more poetically for the adult audience; that allusions be made to issues in the psychology and philosophy of art; that there be more interactive andragogical approaches to museum visitors; that objectives of this educational medium be clearly identified so that effectiveness can be measured; that alternative approaches to the communication of facts and ideas be explored; and that audio tours warrant more active promotion within museums that have them and reconsideration by museums that doubt their educational effectiveness.
Adult Experience of Learning From Novels
Purdy, Martha Leete (Virginia Tech, 1998-06-16)
The Adult Experience Of Learning From NovelsNovel readers may not necessarily read with the primary intention of learning from their novels, but it is known that learning is frequently an outcome. Literature on novels describe their content as both factual and philosophical opportunities to learn but do not describe them in terms of adult learning theory. A study by Radway (1984) found that readers of formula romance have complex learning outcomes from their reading but this was related to literature on novels rather than adult learning theory.Conversely, although learning is a known outcome of novel reading, literature on adult learning theories and research have taken little notice of novel reading as an opportunity to learn. Yet reading novels is an activity in which millions engage. The nature of reading as a highly personal,self-directed activity, suggested a literature review of theory pertaining to self-directed learning, informal learning and how adults make meaning.The purpose of the research was to explore the experience of learning novels; how reading contributes to knowledge,understanding of environment, and social and self-understanding in the context of adult learning theory.The research problem asked what evidence novel readers provide for making meaning as a result of their reading and what they do with that learning outcome. Research was conducted with individual interviews of five regular novel readers which served as case studies. Analysis was done by coding each interview paying particular attention to relationships to personal history, types of learning suggested and their effects. Case studies were then cross coded to discover trends and patterns.Findings showed that respondents used novels to be entertained and escape from their daily responsibilities,but along the way they also experienced a variety of types of learning. They collected new information they found personally interesting or added to an existing knowledge base, challenged their perspectives to think abut themselves and others in new ways. There was also a variety of uses for what they had learned. Respondents reported believing they have a broader knowledge base, could more effective interact with others, arrive at greater self-awareness, and in a few instances change behavior.The experience of learning from novels is a remarkable combination of self-motivation and self-direction undertaken for pleasure, yet incidentally can result in a range of learning outcomes including building a more complex knowledge base, constructivist organization and interpretation of information, critical reflection about self and others, and transformation of understanding to result in change.
The adult volunteer instructors' rite of initiation: training as a socialization process
Lenaghan, Donna Dismuke (Virginia Tech, 1990-03-05)
Adult volunteer instructor training is an important transaction in the dissemination of community health courses to citizens in schools, worksites, religious organizations, and recreational centers. Yet prior to this study little was known about this process by which an individual was transformed from a willing volunteer into a volunteer instructor.
An analysis of nurse educators' educational orientation: andragogical or pedagogical
Hopkins, Mildred Allman (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1981)
This study was concerned with the assessment of the andragogical-pedagogical orientation of nurse educators in associate degree, diploma, and baccalaureate schools of nursing. The principal objectives were to obtain valid data about nurse educators' attitudes toward adult education, to determine if the educational orientations of nurse educators differed from the educational orientation of other adult educators, and to determine if the nurse educators' educational orientation was affected significantly by certain background variables. Additionally, the study examined whether continuing education programs were needed to acquaint nurse faculty with theories of adult learning and whether theories of adult learning should be included in the curricula offerings for the preparation of teachers of nursing. The study was a survey of seventy nurse educators from each type of nursing program - associate degree, diplema, and baccalaureate - in Virginia for a total.of 210. The instruments used for data collection were a Supplemental Data Sheet to gather information on fourteen background variables which were thought to affect educational orientation and Hadley's Educational Orientation Questionnaire (EOQ). There were 171 responses of which 155 questionnaires and data sheets were usable. The criterion variable was educational orientat:ion as measured by the Educational Orientation Questionnaire and analyzed as a single mean score. The independent variables were educational background, type of employing institution, level of position, college credits earned in field of adult education, number of years in nursing practice, number of years in nursing education, geographic location of basic.nursing program, current appointment,,subject matter, preparation of syllabus, instructional setting, continuing education courses taught, attitude toward mandatory continuing education for relicensure, and pursuing advanced degree. The data were analyzed by t-test and the FREQUENCIES, ONEWAY and REGRESSION procedures of the Statistical Package for the .Social Sciences (SPSS). The data were presented descriptively and statistically. The most significant finding was that the nurse educators' mean score differed significantly (p≤0.001) from the mean score of other adult educators as reported by Hadley. The finding· indicated that nurse educators, as a group, are pedagogically oriented toward education. Analysis of variance revealed that the nurse educators' educational. orientation was affected significantly at the 0.05 level or better by type of employing institution, current appointment, instructional setting, and subject matter. Regression analysis showed that about 14% of the educational orientation score variance isi predictable using the four variables which showed a relationship to educational orientation. It was recommended that nurse educators adopt an andragogical approach to nursing education rather than pedagogical. In order to accomplish this it was also recommended that theories of adult learning and strategies for implementing those theories be introduced through a vigorous program of workshops and conferences for practicing teachers. Courses in adult education should be included in the curricular offerings for teacher preparation at the graduate level. Recommendations for further study included a comparative study among students, faculty, and administrators' education. orientations: andragogical or pedagogical, and that each faculty study its educational orientation in relation to the stated philosophy and objectives of the school.
An analysis of the effects of race and gender in scoring extension agent performance standards
Wolford, Anne Kinsel (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985)
The Virginia Cooperative Extension Service is considering a set of procedures to evaluate agent performance. In an attempt to help this consideration process, this study was undertaken to investigate the standards of the Performance Review, Analysis and Planning (PRAP) system. Adaptations of the FRAP system have been utilized by Extension organizations in other states. However, validation procedures have not been conducted by those states. Because of the history and concerns of the Cooperative Extension Service in Virginia, this research effort focused on the effects of race and gender in assessing the level of performance described in the PRAP standards and the relevancy of the standards to the job of an Extension agent. Also studied were the effects of program area, position, and employment location of the rater. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used in the study. The sample for the quantitative portion of the study consisted of the Virginia Extension field staff population. An eighty-three percent (83%) instrument return rate was experienced. The qualitative portion involved twelve field interviews with agents in two of the six Extension administrative districts. The PRAP standards were found to be relevant to the job duties and responsibilities of Extension agents in Virginia. Furthermore, no significant differences were found by program area, position, or geographic location of employment. Significant statistical differences were found by gender and race. Qualitative evidence was found to support the race differences, however, differences by gender were not found in the qualitative data.
An analysis of the funding patterns and sources of community based organizations who deliver adult basic education
Abrahams, John Aron (Virginia Tech, 1997-05-05)
The purpose of this study was to explore the funding patterns and sources of adult basic education (ABE) provided by community based organizations (CBOs) and to determine their success in attracting funding from external sources such as corporations, foundations, charitable and philanthropic organizations. This study sought to develop an understanding of the involvement of community based organizations in delivering adult basic education services, their funding sources and patterns by identifying who the funders were, and why they made financial contributions to CBOs. This study was exploratory and descriptive in nature, designed to deal with the lack of methodical inquiry regarding the funding pattern and sources of CBOs who deliver ABE. It was designed to bridge the gap iii between the assumed notions of the importance of CBOs and their actual levels of funding from a variety of sources.
An analysis of the residency requirement for the doctoral degree in the College of Education, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Stuart, Elizabeth (Virginia Tech, 1979-05-15)
The problem which, was explored in this study was: What are the perceptions held by doctoral gradates of their academic-professional and personal experiences related to the residency requirement? Five research, questions were posed to provide guidance for the collection of data for this study. They are described in detail in the summary and conclusions sections of this chapter. The overall purpose of this study was to provide a procedure for evaluating full-time residential study in a doctoral program as perceived by graduates. Specifically, the objectives were: 1) to define the purposes and activities of-the residency requirement in the College of Education at VPI&SU as articulated by the faculty and administrative staff; 2) to determine the graduates' perceptions of their academic, professional and personal experiences while fulfilling the residency requirement at VPI&SU; and 3) to compare and contrast the perceptions of the faculty and the graduates with respect to the residence requirement.
An analytic case study of the facilitation process used by individuals functioning as facilitators in the quality improvement process in the Internal Revenue Service
Cassidy, Joan E. (Virginia Tech, 1990-11-17)
This dissertation consisted of a case study of the facilitation process utilized by individuals functioning as facilitators for Quality Improvement Teams and/or Quality Councils in the Internal Revenue Service. Eight individuals from a pool of fifty identified as "successful" facilitators by team leaders, team members, quality coordinators or other facilitators, were selected as study subjects. Results from administration of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Herrmann Brain Instruments were used as part of the selection criteria for the study participants. The study sought to determine the competencies used by the facilitators and how the identified competencies contributed to the individual's performance in their role. The results of the study demonstrated that facilitators engaged in 28 different activities. The types of activities and the frequency that facilitators engaged in them varied greatly. A model is presented showing the interrelationship of the study conclusions that includes a set of activities that facilitators engage in to help move quality improvement teams towards their goal. Specific recommendations are made concerning implications for selection and training of QIT facilitators, and for future research.
An application of Patricia Cross' chain of response model to educational interest/participation of public housing residents: a case study approach
Okpara, Onwuchekwa Chukwu (Virginia Tech, 1993)
Using Patricia Cross's Chain of Response model as a guide, this research sought to understand the complex socio-economic and environmental factors that inhibit public housing residents from participating in educational activities. The Chain of Response model developed by Patricia Cross assumes that participation in educational activities by adults whether in an organizational setting, or self-directed is not a single act, but a result of chain of responses, each based on an evaluation of the position of the individual in relation to his or her environment. The design method for the study is the qualitative case study approach. First, an interview-dialogue technique was used to gather information from 24 public housing residents. The interview questions were structured according to the elements of the conceptual model. The interview-dialogues were taped in a microcassette recorder and then transcribed. The second part of the data gathering process was accomplished by the use of a survey questionnaire instrument which was administered to 27 different public housing residents. The purpose of the questionnaire was to further explore emerging themes from the interview-dialogue. Findings show that a majority of the public housing residents in this sample are single adult females raising their children without a spouse. Among the barriers identified by respondents that inhibit their participation in educational activities include: situational barriers such as lack of child care and lack of time; institutional barriers such as high tuition costs; psychological barriers such as lack of interest and being tired of schooling. Findings also indicate that the sample public housing residents are interested in learning Cosmetology, Child Care Provider, Secretarial and Computer skills. Further, findings suggest that respondents prefer on the job training as the best way of getting training in their desired job skills. The implication of this study is that in order to encourage participation in educational activities by this population, the barriers to participation should be removed. Of greater significance is that public housing providers and policy makers may use information generated in this study to design job training programs in the identified areas of interest of public housing residents.
Assessing the training and staff development needs of mental health/mental retardation professionals: a multi-method framework
Cogswell, Dennis Robert (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985)
This research addressed the need for the development of a multi-method needs assessment framework that could be used by Training Directors within the 40 Community Service Boards in Virginia to identify the training and staff development needs of professional staff. The study was carried out over a one year time period. First a multi-method needs assessment framework was developed. This framework consisted of three different needs assessment methods designed to produce a list of the top ranked needs in relation to (a) clinical, (b) prevention and consultation and (c) administration training and staff development needs. These methods were: (a) the review of performance evaluations by a three person committee, (b) the use of a nominal group technique by a five person Training Assessment Committee and (c) the completion of a Self-assessment Questionnaire by the professional staff on the rate of hindrance on each of 150 competencies that pertain to community mental health and mental retardation professional practice. Following review and verification by a panel of experts, this multi-method framework was field tested in the Rockbridge Mental Health Center, Lexington, Virginia. Those needs that were identified by all three methods of the multi-method framework for this CSB were listed as the primary training and staff development needs. The research concluded that the multi-method needs assessment framework had sufficient utility for it to be used throughout Virginia in the 40 CSBs to assess training and staff development needs. The triangularization of data allowed the needs identified by one method to validate the needs identified by the other methods.
An assessment of the relationship between unit managers' attitudes and practices and the employment status of older workers in the foodservice industry
Reid, Robert D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985)
The purpose of this study was to: (1) describe the relationship between unit managers' attitudes and practices and the employment status of older workers in a segment of the foodservice industry; and (2) derive implications about the educational and training interventions necessary to facilitate the increased labor force participation of older workers in the industry. Demographic trends influenced the development of this study. The foodservice industry’s heavy reliance on younger workers and reports of potential labor shortages were reasons the study was undertaken. The population consisted of the membership of the National Restaurant Association. From this group a stratified random sample of 480 foodservice units was selected. Data were collected via questionnaires sent to the identified unit managers. The results indicated positive relationships between the employment of older workers and the following variables: establishment of a formal training program; the use of self-paced training methods; and the availability of employment alternatives. Older workers were most frequently employed in the institutional segment of the foodservice industry and in units in which a larger percentage of older managers were employed. Educational and training interventions which would facilitate the employment of older workers were presented. These included: training for managers; training programs for older workers; and employment alternatives.
An assessment of the role of training and development in career histories of federal women managers in selected organizations
Rusaw, A. Carol (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989)
This study assessed the participation of six contributors to the career histories of fourteen women managers in five federal organizations. Briefly, the contributors included: (1) the processes of gaining managerial skills and abilities through informal and formal learning activities; (2) the demonstration of management skills through job responsibilities that were imposed upon or selected by the individual and which were observed by individuals as potential for positions of greater power and influence; (3) the attainment of positions of power and influence; (4) the development of sensitivity to organizational cultural phenomena; (5) the management of personnel decisions affecting career advancement; and (6) the development of integrity of values and behaviors over time and through experiences. The study showed how these women managers moved upward in organizations through a limited extent through participation in training and development programs and, to a greater degree, by understanding and adapting to various organizational structural phenomena. Through qualitative methodologies of interviews, document analysis, and participant observation, data were collected, analyzed, and written in the form of case histories. A model summarizing the six constructs contributing to career histories was developed.
Benjamin Hallowell: Educational Leader of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, 1799 - 1877
Winston, Lewis E. Jr. (Virginia Tech, 1998-05-18)
This study is an investigation of the life of Benjamin Hallowell (1799-1877) a significant contributor to the spread of useful knowledge in the middle (1824-1877) of the nineteenth century. During this period the advancement of knowledge, once the domain of the landed gentry, became the province of the middle class citizen. The majority of studies of individuals influential in the spread of knowledge center on persons who had a national influence or on those who were active in the northeastern United States where the leading educational efforts flourished. Using historical research, a methodical, critical gathering and interpretation of knowledge from past and present records, we examine Hallowell's work in establishing learning institutions. Hallowell's life work was examined in the light of his use of adult education as a means of furthering his goals, and how he used his Quaker educational and scientific networks to found and operate institutions, such as his boarding school in Alexandria (1824), the Alexandria Lyceum (1834), the Maryland Agricultural College (1859) the predecessor of the University of Maryland, and Swarthmore College (1867). This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about middle class citizens so important to the dissemination of knowledge and the formation of the nation in the middle of the nineteenth century. Hallowell's extensive correspondence was significant as he established his scientific reputation and as he worked in support of the disenfranchised. This is especially evident in his work as an advocate for slaves rights, in his progress towards women's equality in education, and in his work with the Indians. Hallowell used adult education techniques such as lecturing, group discussion and decision making in forming the Lyceum, Swarthmore College, and the Alexandria Water Works. Self reading and self-directed learning were important parts of his personal improvement process from his earliest years. He was an intense man of wide interests who shared his knowledge with all. He participated actively in the growth and spread of knowledge especially in the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Black professional women in dual-career families: the relationship of marital equity and sex role identity to the career commitment of the wife
Scott, Ernestine H. (Virginia Tech, 1990)
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of marital equity and sex role identity to the career commitment of black dual-career wives and to determine who does what in the family. Five research questions guided the study: a) What is the relationship of selected demographic variables (education, income, age and number of children) of husbands and wives to the career commitment of the wife? b) Is there a significant difference between husbands and wives and their commitment to pursue a career? c) Is there a Significant difference between husbands and wives in sex role identity and marital equity? d) Is there a correlation between the career commitment of wives and the extent to which marital equity exists? e) What is the relationship of sex role identity of husbands and wives to the career commitment of the wife? A sample of 200 dual-career couples were systematically selected from a predominantly Black sorority. The instruments used to collect the data were: Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI), career commitment and marital equity scales (Nicola, 1980), and a demographic questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequencies, means, percentages, correlation coefficients, analysis of variance, t-tests, and multiple comparisons. Study results indicated that while the couples' education and income were not significantly associated with the wife’s career commitment, wives were more educated. Although the number of children did not matter, the age of the oldest child was Significantly related to the mother's career commitment. The mean career commitment scores for husbands (41.03) and wives (41.61) indicated that partners shared similar attitudes about time and emotional investment in careers and family pursuits. Mean marital equity scores for husbands and wives revealed that wives did significantly more than husbands in the areas of household tasks and child care. Similarly, wives did most of the initiation for family communication and problem solving. Data supported equal sharing in decision-making (eg. vacations, relocation, financial matters). While couples' sex role identity scores were significantly different, they had no significant effect on the wife's career commitment.
City council members' perception of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
Perkins, Charles Russell (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1978)
The problem addressed in this study was: How do city council members serving cities in Virginia with populations of 50,000 or more perceive Virginia Cooperative Extension Service programs and clientele as they relate to urban concerns? The study determined (1) council members' perception of priorities that should be given to specific agency programs and clientele, (2) whether there was agreement between their perception of current agency priorities and what its priorities should be, (3) their perception of the agency's contribution and how it could be increased, and (4) the influence the variables of size of city and the agency's method of entry had on council members' perception. An ex post facto survey research design was utilized. The study population consisted of the total population of 78 council members serving the ten cities studied. Data were collected through individual structured interviews. The instrument solicited responses on Likert-type scales. One open-ended item solicited suggestions for increasing the agency's contribution. Primary analysis utilized descriptive statistics, Spearman rho rank order correlations, and chi-square tests of independence. Council members were highly unfamiliar with Virginia Cooperative Extension Service programs and clientele. They were most unfamiliar with Technical Resources and Community Resource Development programs. Council members felt the agency was placing proper rank order priority on program content areas and clientele, with the following exceptions: (1) lower priority should be placed on farmers as a client group and on the 4-H content area of providing educational resources for other city youth organizations and (2) higher priority should be placed on the 4-H content area of developing skills through real life experiences with projects in various areas. Members of council indicated that highest clientele priorities should be centered around youth, including problem youngsters, and other individual or social groups, including minorities, low income, homemakers, and senior citizens. High priority programs should center around conservation and concerns of families or family members. Relatively lower priority should be placed on business, industry, and government-related types of programs and clientele. The agency was perceived as making a contribution to urban citizens, but it was felt that the agency could increase its contribution by increasing publicity and public relations. Size of city and method of entry appeared to influence council members' perception of certain clientele and content areas. Size of city most often influenced perception of agricultural clientele and programs. Method of entry appeared to have particular influence on the perceived scope of the agency. Several conclusions were drawn that related to council members' perception of programs, clientele, and contribution. Council members have limited knowledge of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service. However, they believe the agency and its programs are relevant to meeting the needs of urban residents. The agency seems to be closely identified with its initial method of entry into cities and that identity tends to persist. Council members believed that the agency's highest priorities should be given to assisting city residents with individual and social needs associated with urban living.
Climate and research productivity of collegiate nursing faculty: implications for educational and administrative interventions
Craig, Beverly F. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1985)
The purposes of this study were to (a) explore the relationship between the nursing faculty member's perception of the climate for research and the research productivity of nursing faculty members; and (b) identify educational and administrative interventions possessing the potential for increasing research productivity. The questionnaire consisted of a modification of Likert’s Profile of Organizational Characteristics Form S, perceptions of the influence of organizational climate on research productivity, several aspects of institutional support, job-related data, and research productivity for the period June 1980-May 1983. Data were analyzed using Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient. Descriptive statistics were compared for types of institutional support. Research productivity ranged from 0-40 research publications and presentations in the 3 year period. Twenty-five percent of the faculty produced 80 percent of the research. Almost half of the respondents did no research for the period studied. Organizational climate ranged from System 1 (Exploitative-Authoritative System) to System 4 (Participative Group) with the predominate climate being System 3 (Consultative System). Although faculty perceived components of organizational climate as affecting their research productivity, the finding revealed only a low positive correlation (.173, p <.05) between organizational climate and research productivity. The relationships (p <.05) between two other measures of climate (number of current facilitators and number of additional research knowledge needs) and research productivity were low (.252, -.162 respectively). No relationship was found between other climate measures (number of facilitators needing change and number of types of research training faculty desired) and research productivity. Faculty indicated that primarily monetary-related facilitators and rewards for research were most frequently available and that time-related and knowledge and skill-related facilitators were least frequently available. High producers had some of the same needs as other producers, e.g., workload policy providing time for research. Other needs, particularly knowledge and skill needs, differed by productivity level. Two interventions were suggested: (a) a workload policy with time for research, and (b) educational interventions for faculty with various productivity levels.
The College-to-Work Transition Through Temporary Employment Services: A Case Study in an Information Technology Company
Hamel, John Carel (Virginia Tech, 1998-04-15)
Transition from the college classroom to the workplace requires certain job knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs). How and where the New Employee acquires these KSAs is mired in the transition between education and the world-of-work. This dissertation informs the college-to-work transition process through the experiences of college graduate liberal arts majors and of those responsible for integrating the new employees into the organization. Three new employees and two managers working on information technology products and services in a major corporation were interviewed. A grounded theory approach was used to discover patterns in the data. This method allowed the researcher to inform the complexity of the college-to-work transition process. The researcher discovered a naturally evolving process dominated by informal learning that new employees used to learn about the culture and the specific job skills need in the corporation. In many ways, the participants had evolved a process similar to the apprenticeship system of the middle ages.
A comparative study to determine factors contributing to the development of off-campus credit programs in small, private, four-year liberal arts colleges
Ely, Roy Winston (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986)
The purpose of this study was to investigate why small, private, four-year liberal arts colleges implement off-campus credit programs. The focus of the research was to determine the factors responsible for offering off-campus programs in some institutions, while in others, no attempts were made to offer similar programs. Survey research was the primary method used in the study. Twenty-five colleges which were members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and which had off-campus programs were paired with an equal number of non-participating colleges based on size, tuition costs and affiliation. Data were gathered from NCES and SACS reports, current college catalogs and from self-designed questionnaires. A response rate above 90 percent was recorded for the mailed questionnaires. The Chi-Square test of relationship, T-test, and ANOVA techniques were used to analyze the data. All analyses were evaluated at the .05 level of significance. Data analysis for participating colleges suggested: (1) Off-campus programs were relatively new, with a majority (87 percent) having been established over the past ten years; (2) Small, private, liberal-arts colleges were adapting their missions to allow them to serve a new clientele. (3) The primary leadership within the colleges for the initiation and continuation of off-campus programs were the presidents, deans and the governing boards. A declining enrollment was indicated as a primary reason for going off campus; and (4) The groups being served most often off campus were managers, public school teachers, ministers, accountants, law enforcement personnel, and those seeking a Baccalaureate degree. The analysis of the data between the participating and non-participating colleges showed: (1) The participating colleges experienced more growth than the non-participating group. This modest growth could be traced to off-campus enrollments; (2) Both groups of colleges had a similar curriculum, but a statistically significant difference existed for the degree in education. The participating colleges had a larger number of institutions with a degree in education; (3) The participating colleges' mission statements evidenced a more serious commitment to serving the broader community through educational opportunities than did the non-participating group; (4) A statistically significant difference existed between the two groups regarding the sources of revenue, Federal appropriations, grants and contracts and total revenues. The non-participating group received more revenues from these non-tuition sources; (5) A statistically significant difference existed for the expenditure categories of academic support, library support, and operations and maintenance; and (6) No statistical difference was found between the groups for faculty or transportation characteristics or in the number of competitors for off-campus credit programs.
Competencies needed for the beginning level coronary critical care nurse: a Delphi study
Spencer, Jessye Davis (Virginia Tech, 1994)
Increasing complexity in critical coronary care nursing and advancements in medical technology have resulted in the need for clearly articulated competencies consistent with current practice. This need has been identified both in the literature and in practice. The problem addressed in this study was to determine what competencies, beyond basic nursing preparation, are essential for the beginning level coronary care nurse in order to provide safe nursing practice. A three-round modified Delphi Technique was used to elicit the authority opinions of 14 experienced clinical nurse specialists currently practicing in the coronary care unit. The nurse experts identified and verified the essential cognitive and technical skills required for nurses at the beginning level of practice in coronary care units. Nine domains and 63 competency statements were generated and refined. All were designed to be learner oriented, behaviorally described, and measurable. Implications are discussed for the design of an orientation program for beginning level coronary care nurses as well as implications for further research.

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