1970-1979 Dissertations (MU)
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Item See It Now vs McCarthyism : dimensions of documentary persuasion(University of Missouri--Columbia., 1974) Murray, Michael Dennis; Kline, John A.[EMBARGOED UNTIL 01/01/2106] "Statement of the Problem: The purpose of this study is to make a historical investigation using Wayne Brockriede's dimensional paradigm of the following CBS "See It Now" broadcasts: "The Case of Lieutenant Milo Radulovich," October 20, 1953, "Argument at Indianapolis," November 24, 1953, "A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy," March 9, 1954, "Annie Lee Moss Before the McCarthy Committee," March 16, 1954, and Senator McCarthy's Reply," April 6, 1954."--Page 3.Item Design, implementation and evaluation of a generative and adaptive computer based learning system (CBLS)(University of Missouri--Columbia, 1977) Kermani, Parviz Hooshangi; Dwyer, Samuel J., III"Introduction: Computer-Assisted-Instruction (CAI) is the most recent teaching-learning technology. The student is taught by a computer through a terminal. The earliest computerassisted- instruction program was developed at the IBM Research Center in the late 1950’s. This program was part of a project concerned with basic psychological research in memory and learning. This project was essentially viewed as a method of simulating teaching machines on digital computers, so that their important features could be studied more closely. Therefore, tutorial computer use is directly descended from teaching machines of the type pioneered by B. F. Skinner. Since the early 1960’s CAI methods have been used by several universities and industries. Applications for CAI have been found in preschool through graduate school, and in adult vocational training. One of the main advantages of using CAI is to provide mass individualized instruction. There is a need for individualized instruction since learners learn at different rates and most subject matters are hierarchal in nature. Individualized differences in learners is a well known fact. Research shows that learners learn at different rates. The hierarchal nature of most subject matters is also a well known fact. Gagne (38) states that the most dependable condition to insure learning is the prior learning of prerequisite capabilities. Koen(56) maintains that we need 100% learning at each step. Carroll (24) alleges that if a normally-distributed-aptitude set of students is provided with instruction appropriate to the characteristics and needs of each student, then the majority of students may be expected to achieve mastery of the subject. His view is that, given enough time, all students can conceivably attain mastery of a given learning task. The problem remains to provide the right kind of instruction so that efficiency of learning is improved and that mastery can be attained. Bloom(18) believes that if every student had a very good tutor, most of them would be able to attain mastery of a given subject. Essentially this means that the student must be treated as an individual case, and not one of a random, normally distributed, set of learners. Individualized instruction is currently being offered as a solution. It has several distinguishing characteristics : the learner proceeds at a selfdetermined pace; he works at times convenient to him; he begins instruction at a point appropriate to his past achievement; he is provided remedial instruction where necessary; instruction is tailored to fit his special requirements and capabilities; and he has a wide variety of media to choose from. The underlying problem to individualized instruction is financial : individualization can be done only to the extent that funds are available. Computer-based education has recently appeared on the scene as an economically viable implementation of individualized instruction. Another very important application of CAI is simulation. Many experiments which are expensive to conduct or dangerous can be best studied by simulation. Simulation programs give the students an artificial experience of a dynamic, real-world problem. The student is usually asked to take actions which affect the modeled situation. CAI has several other advantages besides providing individualized instruction. It keeps the students active. There is no way the students can sit back and day dream like in a classroom. It gives immediate feedback. It compliments the students when they solve problems correctly. It provides remedial material. CAI has the ability to provide the student with the computational power of the computer during a lesson. It allows the student to work through a lesson at his own pace. CAI has the ability to insure that the student "learns” the current material in a lesson prior to moving on to subsequent material. It has the ability to accomodate students with various levels of competence. It presents instructional material in a more consistent manner. CAI judges student responses in a more accurate manner. CAI has the ability to provide the student with a variety of audio and visual material. It has the ability to collect data throughout a lesson regarding the nature and the timing of student responses. It can test the students and assign grades to them. Every CAI system is composed of three main components: Hardware, Software, and Instructional Logic and Course Material. Hardware is made of the computer and the terminals. The software is the program that makes it possible to write the course material. The instructional logic is the instructional strategies of the course material. Course material is the actual lessons. A short review of each area will be given below."--Page 1.Item Perceptions of in-service training needs among nursing practitioners and administrators in rural Missouri(University of Missouri--Columbia, 1979) Young, Amelia M; King, Franklin J.The purpose of this study was to ascertain any differences that may exist in the present in-service activities for Registered Professional Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) compared to the perceived needs and/or expectations of RNs and LPNs to function in intensive care units. This study also identified the relative importance, by priority ranking, of pathophysiological processes and related areas necessary for in-service education programs for RNs and LPNs to function in ICU/CCU in rural Missouri. The population of this study was comprised of RNs, LPNs, and the supervisor/educator group employed in rural Missouri hospitals. Seventy-one hospitals were identified as rural and containing ICU/CCU. The director of nursing service was selected as the contact person for these seventy-one hospitals. Fifty-one of these directors indicated they would cooperate in the study; however, only twenty-eight hospitals actually returned the completed instruments. The survey instruments were mailed to the directors of nursing service along with a cover letter asking them to distribute and return the instruments. During the review of the literature, no instruments were found that referred directly to the study; consequently, the researcher designed and developed the survey instrument. ICU/CCU nurses, nursing instructors, and a panel of experts provided input for the development of the instrument. Hypotheses one through four were concerned with actual and ideal in-service education program offerings. Data obtained from the chi-square statistical test indicated there were significant differences between the groups. The data supporting these findings are displayed in Table 3. Since these differences were significant, hypotheses one through four were rejected. Hypotheses five and six were concerned with priority ranking of pathophysiological processes and related areas necessary for inservice education programs. The priority rankings were analyzed by a Friedman statistical test. The findings indicated that there were significant differences in rank order between the groups. The data supporting these findings are displayed in Tables 4 through 9. Since these differences were significant, hypotheses five and six were rejected.Item Correlates of satisfaction among the small town elderly(University of Missouri--Columbia, 1971) Adams, David L."INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM: "Old" is a unique social category. It is both achieved and ascribed. It is achieved with little, if any, effort on the part of the individual and ascribed despite its desirability. It is achieved regardless of other social characteristics and ascribed on the basis of no more than the passage of time--whether this is measured by the calendar, by role sets, or simply by the appearance of the biological organism. In some cultures, old is beautiful. However, in many cultures, and particularly those undergoing rapid social change, old is obsolete. It is "functional" in such societies to ascribe low status to the elderly. This provides younger generations with a "rationalization" for removing "old" from the social mainstream and replacing it with "new." The aging individual, however, is caught in a dilemma when he suddenly finds himself the object of his own negative stereotype. This is aptly stated in the story about the man and his son who were carrying grandfather to the river in a sack to dispose of him, and the son said, "Save the sack, father, I'll need it for you." It has been suggested that two universal human desires are to prolong life and to depart life honorably. It would appear, however, that the two are mutually exclusive, with "primitive" societies achieving the latter and "modern" societies achieving the former. Put another way, the status of the elderly seems high where they are few and low where they are many. Nonetheless, the quest to unite the two would seem to account for much of the current attention to the elderly. This concern for the dilemma faced by twenty million Americans, combined with the financial ability to be concerned, has resulted in a proliferation of literature on the topic over the past twenty-five years. The elderly have been shown to be healthier/unhealthier/the same as middle generations. They have been shown to participate more/less/the same. It is said that they have negative/positive/neutral attitudes toward death, old age, the middle generation and self. Satisfaction is shown to increase/decrease/remain constant with advancing age. Their concern for family, friends, and the church become greater/less/unchanged in old age. In other words, a number of seemingly contradictory statements have been made about the elderly. It is the author’s contention that these "contradictions" merely reflect the complexity of that group called the "elderly," and are a function of particular subsamples of this group from which the observations arose. For example, one investigation of the present study sample has shown that satisfaction decreases with age, while two others have shown no relationship. However, the former involved the entire sample while the latter was based on selected subsamples which were homogeneous in many respects--but not in age. This points out that satisfaction, at least, is not a necessary correlate of age, but rather, is a function of subgroup characteristics for which age serves as a convenient "handle." In addition to "elderly" complexity, it is believed that the "contradictions" arise from the methods of analysis used by many investigators. Admitting exceptions, these methods have involved simple linear examinations of relationships. Thus, claims are made that health declines with age, and income declines with age, and participation declines with age, and satisfaction declines with age--but few attempts have been made to determine the interacting influence of income on health, health on participation, participation on satisfaction, etc."--Page 1.Item Prediction of drop sizes in liquid/air systems(University of Missouri--Columbia, 1974) Chen, Der-rong; de Chazal, L. E. MarcThree liquids, water, ethylene glycol and 2-ethyl-l-hexanol were dispersed separately through five different sizes of nozzle tips ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 centimeter into vapor-saturated air in various flow rates to determine drop sizes. About four hundred data points were collected to predict drop sizes from the physical properties of liquids and flow rates. A hypothesis is presented which accounts for the effect of inertial mass on drop formation. With this hypo thesis drop sizes can be predicted and the average of 3.5% error is obtained. The maximum error being 12.5% and only 12 points have an error greater than 10%.