Assessing Critical Thinking Processes in the Gifted: Predicting GRE Analytical Performance from Watson-Glaser Results

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the constructs measured by the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal and the Graduate Record Examination Analytical Scale in gifted adolescents 15 to 17 years of age. There were three hypotheses addressed in this study: 1) gifted adolescents would be able to think critically as measured by college level norms when measured by the Watson-Glaser and the GRE-Analytical; 2) significant differences would exist between different levels of gifted populations; and 3) a factor or group of factors of the Watson-Glaser subscales would significantly predict performance on the GRE-Analytical Scale. The Watson-Glaser and the GRE-Analytical were administered to 104 high school students, most of whom were seniors in high school or in the summer preceeding their senior year. The subject pool labeled national gifted consisted of 50 students in summer programs for academically gifted sudents at the University of Indiana and Western Kentucky University. The local gifted group consisted of 54 students in secondary schools in western Kentucky and northern middle Tennessee. Analysis of Watson-Glaser total scores indicated that the national group mean was at the 60th percentile and the local group mean was at the 30th percentile when compared to college senior women. GRE-Analytical total raw scores converted to scaled scores were 580 for the national group and 440 for the local group. Statistical analysis confirmed the significantly superior performance of the national group over the local group on both instruments. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship between the GRE-Analytical and the Watson-Glaser for both national and local samples. The relationship between the performance on the two instruments was highly significant for both groups. The local group data were subjected to stepwise regression analysis to determine which individual subscale or group of subscales best predicted GRE-Analytical performance. In the local sample, Subscale 4 clearly emerged as the best single predictor. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients based on a median-split of data from each test indicated that lower half total (national plus local) and local group scores were slightly more consistent than were the upper halves of these groups. Implications of these results for expanding the cognitive processes and motivating the gifted student were discussed

An American Prophet: Wendell Berry\u27s Community Ethic, 1965-1977

This thesis provides a detailed commentary on Wendell Berry\u27s agrarian ethic as articulated in his early literature of the 1960s and 1970s. It is part biography of Berry\u27s early life, part history of his early thought, and part literary interpretation of his early work. It expounds on the significance of Berry\u27s personal connection to place, and situates Berry\u27s agrarian argument for community life in the context of the social issues addressed in his early literature. The central argument of this project is that Berry\u27s agrarian ethic was grown out of his relationship with his native place in Kentucky, and that this relationship made Berry\u27s ethic at points narrow in its scope of vision, and at other points prophetic in its analysis of American culture in the 1960s and 1970s. The main works engaged are The Long-Legged House (1969), The Hidden Wound (1970/1989), and The Unsettling of America (1977), along with selections of Berry\u27s poetry from the same time period

ACCESS TO NATURE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: EQUITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE

The primary objectives of this research were to understand what access to nature means for people engaged in the nature economy, economic development, recreation, conservation, and community development sectors of New Hampshire, to identify benefits, barriers and opportunities of access to nature with a focus on underserved communities, and to contribute data and knowledge to inform local, regional, and state efforts to advance equity in environmental protection, justice efforts, and future policy considerations impacting New Hampshire. This research involved qualitative analysis of interviews with statewide policy leaders and stakeholders that work with individuals and organizations closely related to nature economy and nature access. In addition, a case study conducted with the City of Rochester, New Hampshire, focused on a municipal perspective, particularly considering the City\u27s recent efforts to improve access and recreation opportunities. I found that the New Hampshire natural assets most frequently identified by participants were mountains and water resources, such as lakes and ponds, rivers, the ocean, estuaries and wetlands. Rochester participants most frequently identified the Cocheco River and community trails as City natural assets. Participants were almost evenly divided about whether everyone in New Hampshire has access to nature, bit all participants identified barriers to accessing nature. The most frequently mentioned barriers were transportation, knowledge, cost to an individual, infrastructure, time, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. About two thirds of participants reported being engaged in organizational efforts to expand access for people identified as having limited access, most frequently through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, expanding recreation opportunities, and making trails more ADA compliant. Almost all participants identified organizational challenges in efforts to expand access to nature, with funding and bandwidth being the most frequently identified challenges. The findings from this study are already supporting community education efforts to better connect people to nature through co-authored info briefs, a webinar, an in-person panel and walking tour of Rochester, and a presentation to a local conservation commission. The info briefs have been downloaded over 121 times, over 50 people attended the webinar, and 25 people attended the in-person panel and walking tour. These and planned follow up efforts aim to benefit New Hampshire’s underserved communities and the State as a whole, through individuals and organizations advocating and making positive changes for communities and environmental justice efforts

Wild Horse Demography: Implications for Sustainable Management Within Economic Constraints

Management of wild horse (Equus ferus caballus ) populations on western U.S. rangelands has been a challenge since horses were given legal protection through the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) in 1971. Horses have no eff ective predators, and unmanaged populations can double in 4–5 years and triple in 6–8 years. In order to meet the multiple-use paradigm for managing public rangelands, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has limited horse population growth through the periodic capture and removal of animals. While the WFRHBA mandates disposal of captured horses through placement into private ownership and prompt destruction of any excess animals, administrative restrictions have prohibited the destruction of healthy horses for nearly the entire history of the management program. This has led to an ever-increasing number of unwanted horses maintained in captivity, which has required increasing Congressional appropriations. There are currently 44,000 horses in long-term captivity at an annual cost of approximately $50 million. Recently, Congress has denied requests from the BLM for further funding increases to support continued growth in the number of horses in long-term maintenance, obligating the BLM to dramatically curtail population management. Horse numbers on public rangelands are now rapidly increasing, and if left minimally managed will exceed the capacity of rangeland resources, resulting in serious degradation of these public lands for all other uses and eventually will result in large numbers of horses dying of starvation and dehydration. Horse advocates suggest this management crisis can be solved with the aggressive use of contraceptive technologies. Limitations in efficacy and the logistics of administering contraceptives indicate that contraceptives can only slow population growth rates, but alone cannot decrease numbers. The BLM and other stakeholders are pressing for authorization to destroy excess horses but are facing public and Congressional opposition, with the potential that the status quo continues. A sustainable wild horse and burro (E. asinus ; WHB) management program could be achieved by a combination of reducing the on-range population and treating adequate numbers of horses remaining on rangelands with contraceptives to reduce subsequent population growth rates. Under this scenario, the freeroaming horse population would produce a modest annual increment of horses, which could be removed and readily placed into private ownership. It has taken nearly half a century for the wild horse problem to reach this critical point, and any transition to a sustainable program will take time and additional resources. The fundamental challenge to developing a sustainable program will be solving the problem of the fate of excess horses. The policy decisions confronting us are historic, challenging, and controversial with a real danger of not finding the resolve to chart a new course for the WHB Program. If we fail and continue with the current policies, then horses, native wildlife, all stakeholders, and our public rangelands will pay a heavy price

An Analysis of Employee Turnover in a Selected Multi-unit Retail Institution

The purpose of this study was to examine the problems of voluntary employee turnover of a major retailing organization. Studies related to employee turnover in manufacturing organizations dominate the literature