Correlation between the MEAP test and the Performance Series computer-adaptive test in mathematics

Torossian, Hosep Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Declining quality of the American public school education has prompted legislators to impose standards-based accountability across the nation, a shift that brought with it high-stakes testing. Further entrenching the ideal of testing for accountability, the No Child Left Behind Act imposed strict assessment guidelines on states, requiring annual testing of all students in grades three through eight. Most states administer norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests in the traditional paper-and-pencil format, which at times is plagued with inefficiencies. The most critical of these inefficiencies is the delay between the time of administration to receipt of test results, which hinders meaningful and timely interpretation. One feature of Internet-based, computerized adaptive tests is their ability to provide instant feedback. The purpose of this research was to investigate the degree of correlation between the Performance Series Test (PST), a computerized adaptive test marketed by the Scantron Corporation, and the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) test in mathematics. This research also investigated whether the PST can predict students' MEAP math scores. This study is significant because it not only investigated an efficient assessment technology that can be used to gauge student progress, but that can also aid in predicting student achievement in a high-stakes assessment. The research model helps educators design individualized instruction months ahead of taking the MEAP. A non-experimental, exploratory correlational research design was used in this study. Data collection tools included results from the MEAP test taken by 259 fourth-grade and 282 eighth-grade students using paper and pencil, and a computer-adaptive test, the PST. Student achievement scaled scores from the 2003--2004 school year were used, with the researcher obtaining data from an urban school district in southeastern Michigan. Pearson product-moment correlations between MEAP and PST scores for Grade 4 and Grade 8 were .742 (p<0.001) and .808 (p<0.001) respectively, indicating strong relationships between the two tests. Multiple regression analyses indicated the PST was the prominent predictor of MEAP scores, followed by ethnicity. The other predictor variables, which included gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, special education, and English-language proficiency, were insignificant predictors of MEAP in the presence of PST scores and ethnicity. The predictive value of PST allows for timely remediation of students who are at risk of failing the MEAP.

Assessing the importance and malleability of mothers' situational attributions for their children's behaviors

Butcher, Jennifer L Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

The present study explored the malleability and relative importance of mothers' situational attributions for their children's negative behaviors by examining their relationship with mothers' global attributions, mood, and behavior and their children's mood and behavior. Parents who view their children's noncompliant behaviors as internal, stable, and as the child's fault have been found to have children who display higher levels of disruptive behaviors. However, the majority of these links have been correlational in nature. This study used an experimental design to further examine the cause and effect relationships between parental attributions, mood, and behavior. Additionally, this study explored the malleability of parental specific attributions and the relative influence of situational attributions compared to global attributions. The sample included 40 mothers of children with varying levels of disruptive behaviors. Twenty of the mothers were primed with child-referent attributions and the other 20 mothers were primed with environment-referent attributions to examine how attributions relate to aspects of parenting, parental mood and behavior and child mood and behavior. Additionally, situational attributions and global attributions were examined as separate predictors of mothers' mood. As predicted, relationships were seen between dysfunctional child-referent attributions and higher parental stress and psychopathology and lower levels of parental competence. For a subset of parents of children with clinical levels of disruptive behaviors, dysfunctional child-referent attributions were related to child behavior and overreactive parenting. As expected, mothers in the child-referent condition reported situational attributions placing greater responsibility for noncompliance internally within their children, were less positive and more overreactive, and had children who displayed more negative mood and misbehavior. Contrary to prediction, mothers in the environment-referent condition did not offer situational attributions placing greater causality to the environment. Following the experimental manipulation, mothers had significant changes in their global attributions consistent with their conditions. Both situational and global attributions were found to contribute significant variance to the prediction of parents' positive mood after controlling for the variance associated with condition status. These results have implications for addressing attribution change in parenting programs and point to the importance of examining situational attributions separately from global attributions.

Content validity of minimum qualifications: Does it reduce adverse impact?

Lange, Stacey L Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Minimum qualifications screens are used by many organizations, however, the sophistication level of these minimum qualifications varies. This study investigated the use of a new, content valid minimum qualification development methodology and its influence on adverse impact for 1955 applications for 12 different jobs. Applications for the 12 jobs were reviewed using content valid minimum qualifications in the spring of 2004 and those applicants who met the minimum qualifications were invited for subsequent testing. For this study these same applications were reviewed using the traditional minimum qualifications of educational attainment and years of experience. The results indicated that the content valid minimum qualifications screen reduced adverse impact and increased pass ratios for both race and gender. In addition, a significant mean difference for unit weighted z-scores was found between applicants who passed only the content valid minimum qualifications and those that passed both the content valid and traditional minimum qualifications. The results indicated that applicants who passed both minimum qualifications scored higher on the subsequent selection tests than applicants who only passed the content valid minimum qualifications. This study investigated the effect content valid minimum qualifications had on the adverse impact of the overall selection system (i.e., bottom-line). Results indicated that although content valid minimum qualifications do increase pass ratios of minorities, it does not increase adverse impact at the bottom-line. In addition, variables such as job family and recruitment methods were considered. A survey assessing characteristics of the minimum qualifications was administered to 20 experienced job analysts and found that the content valid minimum qualifications are better at identifying the barely qualified applicant than the traditional minimum qualifications. Results also indicated that the content valid minimum qualifications are more flexible whereas the traditional minimum qualifications are easier to verify. Implications and suggestions for future research are presented.

Effects of mood on social problem solving

Johnson, Jeremy L Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Previous research has identified a link between depressive symptoms and social problem solving. Those who report higher levels of depressive symptoms also tend to report poorer problem solving attitudes and behaviors. Evidence regarding the link between depressed mood and performance on problem solving tasks is mixed. The majority of studies examining the link between mood and problem solving have been correlational in nature, limiting the ability to draw causal inferences. Two studies using experimental methodology to examine the link between mood and problem solving have found that those in a depressed mood condition tend to perform worse on tasks requiring means-end thinking, a limited measure of problem solving, than those in a positive mood condition. One of these studies also found that those in a negative mood report poorer problem solving than those in the positive mood condition. The purpose of this project was to replicate and expand on previous experimental research examining the link between mood and social problem solving. The current study used a performance measure designed to assess a wider variety of problem solving constructs. One hundred sixty two participants, with an average age of 20, were randomly assigned to depressed, elated, or neutral mood conditions. A mood induction procedure was used to manipulate the moods of the participants, who then completed performance and self-report measures of problem solving. Results indicated that participants in both the positive and negative mood conditions reported poorer problem solving than those in the neutral mood condition. There were no differences between conditions on the performance measure of problem solving, though low levels of inter-rater reliability make the lack of differences difficult to interpret. It is concluded that improved measures of problem solving performance would be useful in examining the relationship between mood and problem solving. Additionally, the type of mood induction procedure used may influence responses to problem solving measures.

Relationships between exercise, physically demanding jobs, and organizational functioning

LeGro, Kimberly J Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Popular press literature heavily promotes workplace fitness programs, although the supporting scientific evidence is insufficient to make strong claims about work-related benefits. The evidence of the effects of exercise on the physical health of the exercise participant has been well documented with sound research methodologies. In contrast to this, research on the relationship between exercise and workplace variables has been lacking or inconsistent and there have been many problems. The present study therefore sought to improve the state of knowledge regarding the relationship between employees' exercise and their reactions to the workplace. A number of employees from a variety of organizations in a small Midwestern city completed a questionnaire regarding their exercise activities and their reactions to the workplace. Anonymous questionnaires were distributed at exercise facilities in order to obtain participation of people who did at least some amount of exercising. Correlations and multiple regressions were computed to test several hypotheses. In general, greater degrees of exercise were positively related to job satisfaction, life satisfaction, and organizational commitment. In addition, there was an interaction between exercise and physical demand of the job, indicating that exercise tended to have greater effects on life satisfaction and physical symptoms when the job was less physically demanding. This finding has important implications for organizations considering exercise program implementation depending on the physical rigor the employee's jobs.

An investigation of the relationship between administrator personality and teacher job satisfaction from a sample of Michigan K--12 public schools

Francisco, Mark A Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the personality of public school administrators and the job satisfaction of teachers. Within the parameters established through theories and practices in leadership and personality over the last century, a third construct was proposed parallel to leader and follower personality studies (Gilbert, 1999; Kahler, 1996), and how perceived administrative listening skills affected teacher job satisfaction (Tackett, 2000). The Kahler (1982) model of personality provided the framework for understanding administrator personality according to specific traits pertinent to the six personality styles of Feeler, Thinker, Believer, Reflecter, Funster, and Doer. A study of principal personality and school climate among Michigan Lutheran schools (Weisenbach, 2004) provided additional grounding for the collected data. This study focused on 33 (of 82 invited) administrators and their staff (totaling 294 teachers of 495 invited) from various Michigan K--12 school districts. Administrators with direct supervisory responsibility of teachers were surveyed using the Kahler Personality Pattern Inventory (PPIRTM) (Kahler, 1996). Respondents included principals, assistant principals, and department heads. Teaching staff were surveyed using the abridged Job Description Index (Smith, 1997), according to the six facets of work on present job, people at work, supervision, promotion, pay, and the job in general. Teacher survey data was tallied from individuals and averaged for each school building, then correlated with the site administrators' personality data. Individual facets of administrator personality and teacher job satisfaction were also analyzed for significance in relationship. The results provided the information necessary to identify a personality factor among administrators that affected the job satisfaction of teachers known as a Phase change. Kahler (1996) described a Phase change as a shift in one's personality with a change in one's accompanying motivators, preferences, and stressors as a result of long term and intense distress followed by the satisfactory resolution of that distress. Phase change was evident in half of the administrators surveyed. Even with a small sample population of administrators and teachers, the conclusions drawn from the study indicated that an aspect of personality defined as a Phase change among administrators had a positive effect upon average teacher job satisfaction.

Interpretive reliability of six computer-based test interpretation programs for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2

Deskovitz, Mark Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

The use of Computer-Based Test Interpretation (CBTI) of psychological tests has increased in recent years. This study evaluated the "interpretive reliability" of six commercially available CBTI programs for interpreting the MMPI-2, the most widely used psychological test, using a novel q-sort methodology. More specifically, this study addressed two major aspects of CBTI reliability: inter-program reliability was assessed by observing the similarity of q-sort ratings across programs; inter-interpreter reliability was addressed by observing the similarity of q-sort ratings across raters. It was found that there were no significant differences overall between the CBTIs or between profiles with regard to inter-interpreter reliability. There were specific CBTI/profile combinations that were interpreted with less consensus (e.g., the CBTI by Automated Assessment Associates on a within normal limits profile). With regard to inter-program reliability, there were no significant differences overall between the CBTIs, but there were overall differences between the profiles (e.g., the 4/9 and 1/2/3 profiles were interpreted with greater consistency while the 2/4 and 7/8 profiles were interpreted with less consensus). In addition there were specific CBTI profile combinations that were interpreted with more and less consensus (e.g., 4/9 profile interpreted by Pearson Assessments was most consensual with the other reports, while the 2/4 profile interpreted by Automated Assessment Associates was least consensual with the other reports). Inter-program reliability was recalculated after an attempt to correct for redundancy across profiles. Again, after correction there were no general differences in reliability for CBTIs but there were differences between profiles (the 4/9, 8/9 and WNL profiles were most consensual, while the 2/4 and 8/9 profiles were least consensual). Results suggest that these commercially available MMPI-2 CBTIs show similar levels of overall inter-program and inter-interpreter reliability. However, users should be alert to the possibility that certain MMPI-2 profiles are interpreted more or less consensually and that some CBTIs may show variable reliability in their interpretation depending on the MMPI-2 profile type.

Nonabelian McFarland and Menon-Hadamard difference sets

AbuGhneim, Omar A Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

We investigate ( qd+1&parl0;qd+1-1q-1 +1&parr0;,qdqd+1 -1q-1,qd qd-1q-1 ) difference sets, where q = pf for p a prime and positive integer d. These are known as McFarland difference sets [44]. Arasu, Davis, Jedwab, Ma and McFarland gave a nonexistence result for abelian McFarland difference sets [1]. We generalize this result to work for the nonabelian case. We used this result to show that any group of order 96 which has Z24xZ2 or D24xZ2 or &parl0;Z3⋊Z 8&parr0;xZ2 or D48 as a factor group does not admit a (96, 20, 4) difference set. As a particularly interesting case, if we take q = 4 and s = 1, we obtain the parameters (96, 20, 4), the first parameter set not covered in Kibler's survey of difference sets. We use GAP to construct (96, 20, 4) difference sets in all groups of order 96 which have an elementary abelian normal subgroup of order 16. For a group G of order 96 which has a 32- and 24-factor groups. We used GAP to build the 32- and 24-images of a hypothetical difference set. Then we combine these images to construct a difference set or to show such a difference set does not exist. There are 231 groups of order 96. We were able to show that 84 of them have (96, 20, 4) difference sets (ten were known before this work) and 121 do not have (96, 20, 4) difference sets (four were known before this work). The other 26 are still in doubt. We examined symmetric (96, 20, 4) designs obtained from these difference sets. This gives 32 new nonisomorphic symmetric (96, 20, 4) designs in addition to another five which are known before. We provide a nonexistence result for (4q2, 2q2 - q, q 2 - q) difference sets, where q = pf and p is a prime greater than three. This work tightens Turyn's bound [58] and generalizes a work for q = p and q = p2 due to Iiams [29] and Wan [59] respectively. Iiams has shown that among the 16 groups of order 4p 2 only six could admit (4p2, 2 p2 - p, p 2 - p) difference sets [29]. We show that another two of these six groups does not admit (4p2, 2p2 - p, p 2 - p) difference sets. Our result gives a less sophisticated and shorter proof for Theorem 10. This part is a collaborative work with Paul Becker and Jennifer Mendes.

Perceptual confirmation in the employment interview: The moderating roles of time pressure and need for cognitive closure

Brewster, Nathan T Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

The current study was designed to investigate whether employment interviewers' expectations, motivations and cognitive resources can influence how they evaluate and recall job applicants' behaviors. In two experiments, undergraduate student participants evaluated and recalled information from an applicant's interview after they reviewed her preinterview materials (i.e., job description, resume, personality profile) and watched her videotaped interview. Participants' expectations were manipulated in Experiment 1 by presenting participants with a personality profile that indicated the applicant was either high or low in extraversion. Need for Cognitive Closure (NFCC), a measure of a person's motivation to arrive at a final decision, was assessed as a predictor and moderator of participants' evaluations and recall of information in Experiment 2. Cognitive resources were manipulated in both experiments by providing instructions to participants to either evaluate the applicant as quickly as possible (time pressure) or take as much time as they needed to evaluate the applicant (no time pressure). The results of Experiment 1 show that low expectations can strongly influence subsequent judgments of and memory for the applicant's behavior in the interview. These effects were consistent across time pressure conditions, which suggests that the biasing effect of interviewers' expectations may not be weakened by reducing time pressure on the interviewer. In contrast, high expectations had very little effect on participants' evaluations of and memory for applicant's behavior. The results of Experiment 2 indicate interviewers' level of NFCC will not affect their reliance on their expectations for the applicant. The current study confirms previous research that shows reviewing preinterview materials can create expectations that bias interviewers' evaluations of and memory for the applicant's interview performance. The study was unable, however, to provide additional insight into how interviewers' cognitive resources and motivation affect the influence of their expectations on their evaluations of and memory for applicants' behaviors.

Solo status and affirmative action: The impact of tokenism on distinctiveness, stigma consciousness, self-efficacy and group potency

Brittain, Melissa R Central Michigan University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

소속기관이 구독 중이 아닌 경우 오후 4시부터 익일 오전 9시까지 원문보기가 가능합니다.

Within the recent years work groups and diversity have become common factors in the modern organization. The current research sought to explore the effects of different types of diversity and heterogeneity within work groups and whether individuals would approach groups differently depending upon the demographic composition of the group and the manner they were selected. The purpose of the current research was to examine the impact of tokenism on individual perceptions and evaluations. The effect of token status, or the interaction between solo member status and affirmative action, on individual and group performance was assessed on undergraduate students (N=214). To understand the experience of a token group member, an experimental design was utilized that manipulated group composition and organizational selection policy and placed the respondent in the token situation. Using this method, the impact of token status on feelings of distinctiveness, stigma consciousness, socialization self-efficacy, as well as perceptions of group potency were examined. Contrary to expectations, the results indicated that token status did not produce a more detrimental or negative group experience on any of the measures than solo status or affirmative action. Initial empirical support was found for a three-way interaction, between group composition, selection policy, and demographic characteristics, which suggested tokenism had a differential effect on individuals depending on their gender and ethnicity. The hypothesized pattern was partially supported such that Caucasian males experienced significantly higher distinctiveness in solo setting than Caucasian females and minorities. However, Caucasian males did not report significantly lower levels of distinctiveness than women and minorities in token conditions. The current research also demonstrated that group composition may have a greater impact on individual perceptions than affirmative action, where heterogeneous groups were less likely to produce negative perceptions within prospective members than groups where the individual is a solo. Such findings highlight the importance of addressing incoming perceptions with groups that include a solo or are not demographically balanced. Possible explanations and explorations of the potential impact of token status were also discussed in further detail in the research.