JARC

Official, quarterly journal of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA) containing articles, opinions, and research in professional rehabilitation counseling regarding the needs of individuals employed in a wide variety of work settings and with wide-ranging professional interests

JARC

Official, quarterly journal of the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA) containing articles, opinions, and research in professional rehabilitation counseling regarding the needs of individuals employed in a wide variety of work settings and with wide-ranging professional interests

Bibliotherapy: an examination of school counselors' attitudes and use

Bibliotherapy has been shown to be a natural, appropriate tool for school counselors, supporting both student therapeutic concerns, as well as the academic goals of the setting. However, no prior research was identified that examined counselors' attitudes toward bibliotherapy or their use of bibliotherapy as a counseling technique in the schools. This study proposed to determine (a) if school counselors differed in their use of or attitudes toward bibliotherapy when compared by student and counselor characteristics, and (b) if selected student and counselor characteristics predicted the counselors' use of or attitudes toward bibliotherapy. The data were collected using an instrument developed for this study, the Attitudes Toward Bibliotherapy Scale. Participants were members of the Alabama School Counseling Association (ALSCA). Of the 870 packets that were mailed to members, 250 usable surveys were returned. The results indicated that counselors' use of bibliotherapy, as well as their attitudes toward bibliotherapy, differed significantly on one variable: predominant gender of the students served. Only one variable was found to significantly predict the counselors' use of bibliotherapy: the average age of the children served. Finally, two variables were found to significantly predict the counselors' attitudes toward bibliotherapy: (a) the average age of the children served, and (b) the number of continuing education activities related to bibliotherapy in which the counselors participated in the past 12 months. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

The effect of using clickers in higher education science classrooms

Clickers have been used in schools for nearly a decade. However, there is limited research examining clicker influence on student achievement. Using the Mollborn and Hoekstra (2010) Clicker Model as its theoretical framework, this study investigated the influence of clicker use on higher education science classrooms. The research was conducted in two parts: 1) a causal comparative study based on three science courses taught over two semesters examining whether there was a statistical difference in student achievement in the classes that used clickers and the classes that did not; and 2) a descriptive survey that explored the perceptions of teachers' about clicker use. Data collection had two phases: collection of student final grade averages in each class and collection of survey responses. For Research Question 1, the investigator used t-tests and a Mann Whitney U test to determine statistical differences in grades in clicker vs. non-clicker classes. For Research Question 2, the responses were coded to generate a factor analysis, descriptive statistics, and percentages. For Research Questions 3-5, the investigator coded the responses to four open-ended questions and identified themes. This research found statistically significant differences in student grades in the three science courses under study. The survey data identified positive perceptions of teachers' using clickers. Lastly, the study revealed teachers' perceived clickers as beneficial and recommended mentoring programs for educators considering clicker integration. The major conclusions of the study were that students in clicker classes outperformed students in classes without clickers and that teachers (n=64) found clickers beneficial to teaching and learning. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

School counselors, NDEA, and school desegregation in Alabama: the evolution of a profession

After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Congress funded the National Defense Education Act of 1958 (NDEA) which created school counselor training institutes throughout the country in order to identify highly talented students, especially in the sciences, mathematics, and foreign languages. The National Defense Counseling and Guidance Training Institutes greatly increased the number of school counselors, especially in the Southern states, and also coincided with the desegregation of Southern schools. Along with the involvement of the federal government in funding higher education preparation, was the rise of standardized testing employed in the selection and separation of students. This project investigates the relationship between the NDEA, school counselors and whether or not the NDEA helped shaped an institutional identity of school counseling that interfered with equal educational opportunity (EEO) for African American students in public schools in the South. It is a qualitative study relying on historical documents and interviews of counselors, and counselor educators. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

The relationship between student literacy and student discipline: an analysis of student data in the Gwinnett public school system

The first purpose of this study was to identify the number of paneled (suspended or removed from school for disciplinary reasons) high school students who read at least 3 years below expected grade level. The second purpose was to examine the relationship between selected variables and literacy. This study identified the number of paneled (suspended or removed from school for disciplinary reasons) high school students who read at least 3 years below expected grade level. The purpose was to identify and describe relationships between selected variables (socioeconomic status, race, discipline referrals, special education) and literacy. These variables were selected because the review of the research indicated that these concepts were of interest, and they may be important for purposes of accountability. The results indicated that over the course of a student's high school career there is a significant negative correlation between reading level and the number of discipline referrals. On average, the students who had more discipline referrals had lower Georgia High School Graduation Test English/Reading test scores than those students who had fewer discipline referrals. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Codependency among nurses: a comparison by substance use disorder and other selected variables

Previous studies have shown that the profession of nursing has inherent risk factors that may contribute to Substance Use Disorder among nurses. One of those risk factors may be codependency. This study explored the relationship between codependency and self-reported history of treatment for SUD among nurses. It also compared nurses' codependency scores by gender, race, birth order, having experienced or witnessed physical violence in the family of origin, having a parent or primary caregiver with SUD, and having a parent or primary caregiver with a history of mental illness. One thousand nurses with active licensure in a southeastern state were mailed survey packets which included the Spann-Fischer Codependency Scale and a demographic questionnaire. Two hundred and two surveys were returned. The results indicated that the nurses' codependency scores differed significantly when compared by history of treatment for SUD. Nurses who reported treatment for SUD had higher codependency scores than nurses who reported no treatment for SUD. The nurses also differed significantly in their codependency scores when compared by their having witnessed or experienced physical violence in their family of origin. Those who reported a history of witnessing or experiencing physical violence in their family of origin had higher codependency scores than those who did not. The third significant finding was that nurses who reported having a parent or primary caregiver with a history of mental illness had higher codependency scores than those who did not. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

A comparison of two computer-aided instruction methods with traditional instruction in freshmen college mathematics classes

Computer Aided Instruction (CAI) has vast possibilities that are just beginning to emerge as the medium is being utilized by more and more institutions nationwide. The new educational software industries have the potential to meet the educational needs of a large and increasingly diverse student population. The purpose of the present study is to compare achievement among remedial college algebra students in classes where predominantly computer-aided instruction was used to that of students in classes using traditional lecture instruction. The researcher aimed to identify key aspects that may translate into student success and achievement in remedial college algebra classes. Theoretically, CAI should enhance learning according to well-known principles of behaviorism and constructivism. In reality, studies of learning outcomes using CAI report mixed results about whether the use of CAI actually provides educational benefit beyond that of traditional instruction. This study was comparative study using an ex-post-facto design. Class sections were randomly assigned to instructional methods. Students, although not randomly assigned to sections, were blind to instructional methods when registered for classes. The study evaluated student performance using scores on individual semester tests, a comprehensive final exam, and overall course grade. Regardless of whether achievement is measured in terms of single semester test, comprehensive final exam, course average, or test performance across the semester the results presented here indicate that students perform better in traditional classes than in CAI classes regardless of the CAI curriculum used. Moreover, despite instructional method, students perform better on tests at earlier and later points in the semester than in the middle. Comparison of the two CAI curricula used in this study indicated that student test performance is better for students using Thinkwell CAI than those receiving the MyMathLab CAI curriculum. These results have implications for math educators considering how best to use CAI to teach remedial college algebra. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

High school counselors' attitudes toward the sexuality of students with intellectual disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine high school counselors' attitudes toward the sexuality of students with intellectual disabilities. One hundred and twenty-two high school counselors in Alabama were the participants for this study. Participants completed the Attitudes towards Sexuality and Students with Intellectual Disability Scale (ASSIDS) and a demographic questionnaire, both developed for this research. This study examined the relationship between counselors' attitudes and variables hypothesized to predict their attitudes. The predictor variables for this study were: (a) frequency serving students with intellectual disabilities, (b) comfort discussing sexuality with students with intellectual disabilities, (c) number of academic courses taken addressing intellectual disabilities, (d) number of academic courses taken addressing sexuality, (e) number of workshops or conference presentations attended (within last three years) addressing intellectual disabilities, (f) number of workshops or conference presentations attended (within last three years) addressing sexuality, (g) counselors' age, and (h) counselors' gender. Data were analyzed using stepwise regression. The results revealed that comfort discussing sexuality with students with intellectual disabilities and the number of workshop or presentations counselors attended that addressed sexuality were predictive of counselors' attitudes. Comfort discussing sexuality with students with intellectual disabilities was positively correlated with high school counselors' attitudes and number of workshops or conference presentations attended that addressed sexuality was negatively correlated with high school counselors' attitudes. The results of this study have implications for high school counselors and counselor educators and supervisors. Future direction for research and limitations of the study are discussed. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries