The field of adult learning theory, or how adults learn, has exploded in recent years yielding increased knowledge and awareness of how adults learn. While preachers do have a wide variety of ages in their congregations, most of the people they preach to are adults. This dissertation looks at preaching and adult learning theory and what the…

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents (ages 12-19) in the United States, and more work is needed to shed light on the interpersonal protective factors associated with adolescent suicidality. To address this gap in the empirical literature, we examined the application of the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) to the middle…

Despite the growing epidemic of suicide ideation and attempt in adolescents, there is a lack of theory-based, empirical research to shed light on these issues in this population and inform school counselors' preventive and responsive practices. We utilized Joiner's Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS) to examine the extent to which the…

A college education offers people social and economic benefits, yet youth from foster care backgrounds are less likely than their peers to attain a college education, which places this already vulnerable population at higher risk for a lifetime of living on the margins of society. Foster alumni face multiple obstacles to accessing and persisting…

This study used self-determination theory (SDT) to investigate the motivations for selecting a major among mass communication and media majors at 18 colleges and universities across the United States. Specifically, 669 mass communication majors were queried on their intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for choosing a major, their degree of major…

This study employs Foucualdian concepts to analyse macro and micro contexts of publicly spoken and silent discourses describing "homosexuality," "education" and "teacher" in order to identify teacher subject positions available to preservice teachers. The macro context is analysed by tracing heteronormative discourses…

FACET DESIGN, AS ORIGINATED BY LOUIS GUTTMAN, IS A METHOD OF SYSTEMATICALLY ORDERING A PROBLEM FOR RESEARCH. FACET ANALYSIS ENABLES THE VALIDITY OF AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ORDERING PROCESS TO BE TESTED. THE LOGIC OF FACET DESIGN AND ANALYSIS IS BASED UPON SYSTEMATIC DELINEATION OF THE IMPORTANT VARIABLES PRIOR TO DATA COLLECTION AND THE EVALUATION OF…

BASED ON A STUDY OF THREE COMMUNITIES, GENERALIZATIONS AND PROPOSITIONS WERE PRESENTED ON THE TOPIC OF EDUCATIONAL DECISION-MAKING. THE INTERACTIONS OF FOUR GROUPS-{(1) NON-SCHOOL CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY, (2) CITIZENS WHO HOLD OFFICIAL POSITIONS IN THE SCHOOL ORGANIZATION, (3) SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, AND (4) SCHOOL TEACHERS--WERE ANALYZED TO SHOW…

THE AUTHOR REVIEWS ONE OF THE BASIC SOCIAL SCIENCE CONCEPTS AS IT IS UTILIZED BY PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL SCIENTISTS, MAKING A CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATION OF THE TERM "SYSTEM" AS IT RELATES TO THE FIELD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. INCLUDED IN THE ANALYSIS ARE KEY IDEAS EXPRESSED BY THE TERM, DISTINCTIONS THAT SERVE AS VALUABLE GUIDES IN…

THIS PAPER WAS PRESENTED AT A CONFERENCE ON "NEW DIRECTIONS IN RESEARCH ON EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION." TWO SCHEMES OF RESEARCH METHODOLOGY WERE DISCUSSED. THE FIRST IDEA WAS "FACET DESIGN AND ANALYSIS" ORIGINATED BY LOUIS GUTTMAN. FACET DESIGN WAS DEFINED AS A WAY OF LAYING OUT A DOMAIN FOR RESEARCH, WHILE FACET ANALYSIS…

DISCUSSION WAS PRESENTED ON THE INTERACTION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS. PHILOSOPHICAL TREATMENTS WERE PRESENTED ON THE EFFECTS OF POLITICAL LIFE UPON EDUCATION. DISCUSSION TOPICS INCLUDED THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, THE EDUCATIONAL SUBSYSTEM, THE DISSEMINATION OF VALUES, SANCTIONS, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEFENSE. DEVELOPMENT OF CURRENT…

THE PROBLEM OF IMPROVING EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION WAS DISCUSSED. THE SUGGESTION WAS MADE THAT IMPROVEMENT BY GETTING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE WAS A PROCESS OF RATIONALIZING ACTIVITY IN BOTH AREAS. THE FUNCTION OF RESEARCH FOR EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION WAS APPROACHED AT THREE LEVELS--TECHNICAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND GOAL-ATTAINMENT…

THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOCIOLOGY TO EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION WAS PRESENTED WITH EMPHASIS UPON THE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF SOCIOLOGISTS. INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION WERE BACKGROUND EVENTS, CHANGING DIMENSIONS OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION, AND THE PLACE OF FOLK-WISDOM AND ITS REPLACEMENT WITH SYSTEMATICALLY-TESTED KNOWLEDGE. (RS)

Although there has been reluctance to support direct methods of teaching moral values and character traits, due in part to lack of consensus about whose values should be taught, a national call to rethink that trend has begun to be heard. An up-to-date account is provided of the recommendations of the Oregon State Board of Education to mandate…

The recent marked increase in voter-taxpayer rejection of school budget and school bond issues at polls across the United States -- a phenomenon popularly called the "taxpayers' revolt" -- has given rise to the widespread claim that public school finance is in a state of crisis. This paper develops a simplified model of a political…