COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARDS OF EDUCATION: THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE GAP

This investigation was designed to determine the knowledge and opinion of the public about locally elected community college area boards of education. Research questions included the extent to which the public was aware of both composition and activities of the boards, how the public believes the board works, public's sources of information, general public opinion, and extent of public involvement. The population included adults living in a selected midwest state geographically divided into subpopulations for each technical community college area of the state.

The information indicated that community college boards need to take a serious look at their public image and do a much better job of communicating to their constituents.     

Classroom Activities and Areas: Regularity of Use and Perceptions of Adaptability by General Early Educators

This report describes a mail survey of general early educators from Head Start, public school pre-kindergarten, public school kindergarten, and community preschool/child care programs. The purposes were to secure information about the availability of classroom activities and areas, and to obtain the respondents' perceptions of the ease with which activities and areas could be adapted to accommodate children with disabilities. Of the 893 mailed questionnaires, 483 (54.1%) were returned and coded. The respondents reportedly used a wide range of classroom activities and areas, and they rated those activities and areas as moderately easy to adapt. Also, respondents from mainstreamed programs used slightly more activities and perceived the activities as easier to adapt than did respondents from non-mainstreamed programs. The findings appear to indicate that placement of children with disabilities in segregated programs cannot be justified on grounds that integration will restrict the range of activities available to typically developing children, or on the grounds that the adaptations are perceived by program staff as too difficult to be accomplished.     

THE PEOPLE'S COLLEGES: MISSISSIPPI'S SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR COLLEGES

Mississippi's system of public community and junior colleges developed as a response to changing educational needs in the state. The need to provide secondary education to rural areas of the state led to the agricultural high school movement in 1908. Time diminished the need for these schools, so the state's educational leadership proposed using the facilities to offer college‐level coursework. In 1928, Mississippi counties were authorized to join together in forming junior college districts. The colleges began as agencies of local government and continue so to the present. A state‐level office with coordinating responsibilities was established at the State Department of Education. The state's system of 2‐year colleges began just 1 year before the national economic depression. Easy access and low costs made the junior colleges attractive to Mississippians then and now. The junior college mission was to offer university transfer programs to students. After World War II, the junior colleges expanded their missions to include vocational and technical training. This was in response to the demands of business and industry as well as the needs of veterans returning to the workforce. Postwar industrial development in the state gave the junior colleges a greater role in workforce training. Mississippi's two‐year colleges have experienced demographic and technology changes that reflect national trends. In contrast to most other states, Mississippi's community and junior college leadership continues to identify university parallel programs as their primary mission.     

You and your heart

This article is focussed on a heart disease prevention program which used a mass media approach to facilitate changes in lifestyle of the population. A radio station, 930 CJCA, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada aired five consecutive 1 1/2 hour open-line programs in which several aspects of heart disease were addressed by health experts. A public health meeting was held afterwards. Approximately 500 persons attended, 430 of whom filled out questionnaires and were interviewed by telephone six months later. Over half of the respondents made substantive lifestyle changes to reduce heart disease; approximately one-quarter had checked for evidence of diabetes; two-thirds had their blood pressure checked within the six month follow-up period. People in this group seemed to exercise more and smoke less. The importance of utilizing the mass media to alter lifestyles of the public is documented. Most authors agree that primary prevention programs are needed to enhance the general health of the population.     

The data collection matrix model: A tool for functional area and program evaluation

The management and utilization of collected data is crucial in evaluating programs and functional area effectiveness. Various assessment instruments may address similar functional areas of the college, yet we often fail to compile these data for comprehensive evaluation. The data collection matrix makes possible the integration of functional area data from numerous assessment sources and presentation of the information in a unified composite report. The matrix model will be discussed in relation to the various assessment instruments and the evaluation of functional areas and programs. This paper is directed toward institutional researchers who may wish to adapt the model to their own institution.Presented at the Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Louisville, KY, May 13–16, 1990.     

Public opinion and knowledge about childhood sexual abuse in a rural community.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the knowledge and attitudes of the general public about child sexual abuse (CSA) through a population-based survey. METHOD: A survey was completed by 246 respondents living in Klamath Falls, a small city in rural eastern Oregon. Specific areas of inquiry included who respondents believed were likely perpetrators of CSA, when a child was most likely to disclose sexual abuse, whether respondents believed that children would be truthful, reasons a child might not acknowledge that they had been sexually abused, what respondents knew about how CSA could be diagnosed, and what attitudes respondents thought that a sexually abused child might have towards the perpetrators of their abuse. Finally, respondents were asked how they would report a suspected case of CSA and about their receptivity to personal safety training to prevent CSA. RESULTS: While significant proportions of respondents were fairly knowledgeable about CSA, gaps in knowledge were found in all age groups and ethnic groups. Groups with the most significant knowledge deficits about CSA included men, unmarried respondents, respondents who had not had children, respondents in younger age groups, respondents of Latino descent, and respondents with low incomes or low education. Respondents were most likely to report CSA to their physician or the police. There is community interest in training about CSA and its prevention. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that significant deficits as well as strengths in knowledge about CSA exist in this rural community, and identify populations to which community education about CSA could be directed.     

THE EFFECT OF A SPECIAL CURRICULUM FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN ON TEST-RETEST RELIABILITIES OF THREE STANDARDIZED INSTRUMENTS1

Test-retest (stability) reliability coefficients are, by their nature, affected by what has happened to the tested subjects during the period between testings. Similarly, changes in subjects' mean performance will reflect what happened to them in the interim period. In this regard, the relative values of stability coefficients for experimental and control groups are indicative of the relative degree to which an experimental program is able to change the rankings of the students on criteria measures at pre- and posttreatment times. Changes in students' rankings however do not necessarily affect the level of the group's average performance. This study examines the stability reliabilities of three standardized testing instruments used in the evaluation of a special (enriched) curriculum for young disadvantaged children and the changes in their average performance over a 2-year period. Magnitudes in test-retest reliability differences between treatment groups seem to parallel differences in mean scores. Using the stability reliability coefficients as indices, the program discussed in this report seemed to be most effective in producing change in the skills measured by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. However, significant differences in mean performance between the treatment groups indicates the effectiveness of the program not only in the skills measured by the PPVT but also in those areas measured by the Stanford Binet and the Columbia Mental Maturity Test.     

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM PROGRAMS IN NEW JERSEY'S PUBLIC COLLEGES

Since 1976 in response to growing concern about college students’ writing abilities, faculty development programs on writing across the curriculum have arisen in a number of two‐ and four‐year colleges throughout the United States. This movement, for it seems to be one, has its roots in a similar movement that began more than 15 years ago in British secondary schools. This paper first reviews briefly the early history of the movement in England and compares the movement there to the one now under way in U.S. higher education. It then presents the results of a questionnaire survey of New Jersey's public two‐ and four‐year colleges undertaken in the spring of 1979. The purpose of the survey was to determine whether and to what extent New Jersey's public colleges had started or were planning to start development programs designed to bring groups of faculty together, across disciplines, to discuss problems relating to student writing performance and to develop specific interdisciplinary plans for solving these problems. In addition, information is presented about the nature of the steps taken in those institutions that reported having initiated such programs and about the efforts to evaluate the impact of these programs. Finally, conclusions are drawn about the state of writing across the curriculum programs in New Jersey public higher education and recommendations are made for further action in this direction.     

GERONTOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES IN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IN HOME ECONOMICS IN THE UNITED STATES

Some 360 home economics units throughout the U.S. were surveyed in an effort to obtain information concerning the extent to which gerontology has been incorporated into home economics programs. Looked at were such factors as number of courses taught with geron‐tological content, number of qualified instructors and their respective academic backgrounds, and the number of active research programs in which gerontology is a focus. Of the 164 respondents, 141 (86%) reportedly offer academic courses with some gerontological content. Approximately one‐half of the responding institutions offer graduate programs and about 60% were state supported. Eighty‐five of the respondents have at least one faculty member with a minimum of gerontology background, and a total of 57 active research endeavors were listed. Results indicate that gerontology and its related areas are being taught to a large extent in'home economics programs. The diverse nature of gerontology and its applicability to home economics are discussed.     

IMPACT OF TENNESSEE'S REMEDIAL/DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM ON THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF MINORITY STUDENTS

This paper examines the impact of a state‐wide mandatory testing and placement program operating in Tennessee's community college system as it relates to retention and academic progress of minority students. Utilizing the Board of Regents' data base, the records of 5,139 first‐time 1986 freshmen enrollees at Tennessee's ten public community colleges were examined and tracked through three successive academic quarters. Analysis suggests that of this group, only 22% were actually enrolled in college level programs, as the balance (78%) were in the developmental studies program. The constriction of college placement for minorities is especially severe, since developmental program requirements must be satisfied before they can proceed to earn college level credits. Of the 5,139 first time freshmen, only 56 black students were enrolled in college level courses, and of these, only 26 remained enrolled in Regents' institutions after three quarters. Analysis of attrition by ACT cohort suggests that attrition is higher for those enrolled in developmental studies programs, and 13% higher for minorities than for white students. These findings suggest that public officials may wish to assess if the testing and placement program as it is currently operating is achieving stated goals of improved retention and graduation of minority students     

Validation and Exploration of Instruments for Assessing Public Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Nanotechnology

The purposes of this study were to develop instruments that assess public knowledge of nanotechnology (PKNT), public attitudes toward nanotechnology (PANT) and conduct a pilot study for exploring the relationship between PKNT and PANT. The PKNT test was composed of six scales involving major nanotechnology concepts, including size and scale, structure of matter, size-dependent properties, forces and interactions, tools and instrumentation, as well as science, technology, and society. After item analysis, 26 multiple-choice questions were selected for the PKNT test with a KR-20 reliability of 0.91. Twenty items were developed in the PANT questionnaire which can be classified as scales of trust in government and industry, trust in scientists, and perception of benefit and risk. Cronbach alpha for the PANT questionnaire was 0.70. In a pilot study, 209 citizens, varying in age, were selected to respond to the instruments. Results indicated that about 70 % of respondents did not understand most of the six major concepts involving nanotechnology. The public tended to distrust government and industry and their levels of trust showed no relationship to their levels of knowledge about nanotechnology. However, people perceived that nanotechnology provided high benefits and high risks. Their perceptions of the benefits and risks were positively related with their knowledge level of nanotechnology. People’s trust showed a negative relationship to their risk perception. Implications for using these instruments in research are discussed in this paper.     

HISTORY AS A PLATFORM FOR DEVELOPING COLLEGE STUDENTS’ EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS OF MATHEMATICS

The present study observed how Taiwanese college students’ epistemological beliefs about mathematics evolved during a year-long historical approach calculus course. On the basis of the characteristics of initial accounts, seven students were invited to participate in this study and were divided into two groups. An open-ended questionnaire, mathematics biographies, in-class reports, and follow-up semi-structured interviews served as instruments for identifying their epistemological beliefs. Furthermore, four randomly selected students from another calculus class constituted the control group. Results indicated that most of the students receiving this course exhibited relatively significant changes in their epistemological beliefs of mathematics, but trends and extents in their epistemological development varied across groups as well as individuals. This study identifies the potential relationships among the course features, initial beliefs, and the tendency of belief development, followed by a discussion of the mechanism of belief change and an afterthought on HPM approach.     

A FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF ARTICLES ABOUT WOMEN PUBLISHED IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE : 1990-2000

This feminist critique of articles published about women in the Journal of Community College Research and Practice from 1990 to 2000 considers the extent to which they use feminist literature, frameworks, and methodology. The authors interrogate these articles' findings and the implications drawn from them asking whether they serve feminist goals of social change, women's emancipation, and institutional transformation. The critique examined 15 women-centered articles and 11 articles that treated gender as a variable. The analysis illustrated how the application of feminist tools of inquiry can generate further insights about women's participation in the community college and calls for the empowerment of women as participants and researchers through more extensive integration of women's studies in graduate programs.     

Changes in perceived attitudes toward the goals for science instruction in schools

Four goal areas were identified by the Project Synthesis research team, including science for affecting daily living, science for resolving societal issues, career awareness in science/technology, and science necessary for further study. In 1976 15 science educators across the U.S. agreed to administer a short, one-page assessment form to at least 50 members of service clubs or community groups in their respective communities. This survey asked the respondents about the relative importance for the four goal areas across the K-12 curriculum (K-3, 4–6, 7–9, and 10–12). The 1976 survey was repeated with similar respondents during 1980, 1984, and 1986. The results indicate that the view of the importance of science as preparation for studying science further is perceived as a most important goal which changes little across grade levels or time. During the 1976–86 period respondents rated the importance of science for improvement of daily living as significantly more important; in fact, its importance was perceived almost as great as academic preparation. Similarly, science for the resolution of societal issues and for meeting career-awareness goals were viewed as significantly more important in 1986 than was the case in 1976. The respondents survey in 1984 and 1986 ranked science goals for resolving societal issues as more important than those associated with information useful in daily living. There is no way of determining how much of this change of perception is caused by professionals and/or forces at work at a given point in time. Nor is it clear how the information can or should be used to plan school programs.     

Attitudes on Barriers and Benefits of Distance Education among Mississippi Delta Allied Health Community College Faculty,Staff, and Students

Online distance education creates increased opportunities for continuing education and advanced training for allied health professionals living in underserved and geographically isolated areas. The purpose of this article was to explore attitudes on barriers and benefits of distance education technology among underrepresented minority allied health students. It also addressed potential issues to geographic isolation that may contribute to the shortage of adequately trained health professionals in the Mississippi Delta. Community college students, faculty, and staff of Mississippi Delta allied health programs were interviewed about their experience, barriers and benefits to participation, and self efficacy with distance education. Four focus groups meetings with 34 participants were conducted to understand perceptions of community college students and professionals about distance education. Exposure to and experience with online and distance learning format, frequent Internet usage, and plans to matriculate to a four-year university are significant factors when examining attitudes on barriers and benefits. Faculty and staff perceive that community college students would be more confident during discussions in an online environment; that an online class will reduce out-of-pocket educational expenses; and online learning will save time by making all course materials accessible from one webpage. Attitudes on benefits to distance education should be evaluated to assess whether distance education programs meet the needs of the students in underserved areas.     

Cultural cognition and climate change education in the U.S.: why consensus is not enough

Abstract

Integrating climate change into environmental education programs and formal science classrooms can be difficult, as the issue remains controversial and highly politicized among the American public. This study proposes that the same cultural values that shape worldview differences and divide public opinion on anthropogenic climate change will influence if and how science educators support education on the topic. An online survey with quantitative and qualitative measures was distributed among science educators in the southeastern United States to test what, if any, impact cultural cognition has on their opinions about climate change education. The results suggest that respondents’ cultural values have a significant influence on their intentions to support climate change education and preferences for curricula content. The findings also suggest potential avenues for the field of environmental education to develop climate change materials that may help decrease unintentional biases among science educators and more effectively engage their support in teaching its causes and potential solutions regardless of worldview differences.     

DEWEY'S THEORY OF THE DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC CHARACTER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS

In this essay, Leonard Waks reconsiders the issue of the public character of charter schools, that is, schools funded through public taxation but operated by non‐state organizations such as nonprofit and for‐profit educational corporations and nongovernmental public interest organizations. Using John Dewey's conception of a democratic public as a framework, Waks examines the following questions: (1) Are schools chartered and funded by government, but operated by nonprofit nongovernmental organizations, ever appropriate instruments of a democratic public? (2) If so, what criteria might distinguish those that are appropriate from those that are not? (3) How might public education be re‐institutionalized so as to include the charter schools that are appropriate? Waks concludes that Dewey's theory of democratic publics can play a useful role in thinking about how to balance the democratic benefits of charter schools for the various subcommunities of our society with the democratic requirement of broad public discourse and intergroup education.     

IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING INSTITUTIONAL GOALS IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND EXTENT OF THEIR CONGRUENCE AMONG CONSTITUENTS

This research study emphasizes the importance of participative goal setting efforts in the community college. Early goal setting in the colleges involved an elite group of administrators who seemed to rely primarily upon subjective planning procedures. In this era of accountability with a more vocal public, the chief executive finds it extremely important to involve key people early in the planning process. Benefits from using a participative system may include not only additional data upon which to base decisions, but more importantly a sense of involvement in the future of the college. Findings from this study which included five key groups using the Community College Goals Inventory instrument concur with those of other community college studies in the goal choices selected. Some of the implications derived from this study on eight community college goals are cited along with recommendations which can be applied to community colleges in general.     

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION IN TEXAS COMMUNITY COLLEGES

This study surveyed Texas community colleges to assess the extent of faculty development programs and the means, the purpose, and degree to which they were evaluated. Ninety percent of the 62 community colleges responded to the Fall 1985 survey with 93% of the respondents indicating that they had organized faculty development programs. The data gathered revealed that most programs were group oriented, perceived as effective, and offered at higher rates than previous studies have indicated. However, the methods used to determine effectiveness were, on the whole, not measures of changes in teacher or student behavior. In addition, there is little evidence that the programs are being used as a major instrument for institutional change and improvement that is linked to the accomplishment of college goals and the establishment of accountability. It is suggested that faculty development programs can improve by being more diligent in the pursuit of opportunities to effectively evaluate outcomes and by focusing on more individual than group activities.