Melbourne Graduate School of Education - Theses

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    The measurement of curiosity : development of the state trait model of curiosity for children
    Nichols, Geoffrey Dale ( 1976)
    The State Trait model of Curiosity developed by Drs. Naylor and Gaudry was modified for use with seventh grade subjects. Extra items were written, making a thirty--six item four choice Likert scale for trait and for state curiosity. 150 boys and 159 girls completed the trait scale, a word knowledge test, a curiosity stimulating task, and the state scale. The scales were analysed using the computer program Testat. Items were selected on the basis of their point biserial correlations. Splitting the subjects on their sex and vocabulary scores showed that many items had considerable bias. Reducing the reversed and the non-reversed subscales by removing small groups of items produced scales almost identical to those containing the items with the highest correlations. A factor analysis justified the distinction between state and trait curiosity and between reversed and non-reversed items. The loadings on the three factor Varimax rotation were highly correlated with the items' point biserial correlations. Sample-free item analysis attempts to analyse data so that the resulting statistics are independent of the sample used. Similarly it enables comparisons between individuals independently of the tests used. The program Calfit, based on this model, was used to analyse the data rescored at the three possible levels of curiosity. The trait scale fitted the model quite well but the state scale fitted poorly. This was due to the different behaviour of the three curiosity levels and the interaction of a subject's curiosity and the response on many items. Testat proved more effective for item selection but Calfit enabled the linking to previous research. Scales for future use are recommended.
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    An investigation of some educational implications of Holland's theory of vocational choice
    Elliott, Russell Henry ( 1976)
    The project set out to investigate the value of Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory (V.P.I.) as a measure of tertiary course/student compatibility and whether this compatibility had a bearing on subsequent course achievement. The sample consisted of 230 first year students at the Gordon Institute of Technology - a vocationally oriented College of Advanced Education. In addition to the course guidance investigation, a number of aspects of Holland's theory of vocational choice were examined. These included a test of Holland's proposed hexagonal pattern of relationships between the six personality types used in the interpretation of V.P.I. scores. Also, Holland's theory predicts, in relation to educational behaviour, that the choice of, stability in, satisfaction with and achievement into a field of study depend upon the degree of congruence between students and their educational environment. With a questionnaire measure of satisfaction and G.P.A. as an academic achievement measure, these predictions were tested. The results of a multiple discriminant analysis of scale scores on the V.P.I. indicated that meaningful distinctions between the course groups in the sample could be made on the- basis of scores on three significant discriminant functions. A series of planned contrasts carried out using a multivariance analysis also yielded significant results - again indicating that distinctions could be made between the course groups -using scores on the V.P.I. The values for the mean intercorrelations between scale scores for the sample showed that Holland's hexagonal ordering of the personality types was consistent with the results for this sample. As regards the congruence and satisfaction prediction, no significant differences were found on the satisfaction measures between those students who were congruent with their course and those who were not. Similar non-significant differences were found for the congruence/incongruence and academic achievement results. In both cases, however, satisfaction and achievement scores were higher for those who were congruent i.e. the differences were in the predicted direction. In -summary, the project found the V.P.I. to be able to discriminate between students in different courses and thus to offer possibilities for course guidance, and weak but not significant support for Holland's predictions relating to the effect of congruence of students and courses on educational behaviour.
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    The development and validation of an instrument to assess environmental attitudes
    Duke, Geoff ( 1976)
    This study has attempted to produce valid and reliable scales for the measurement of environmental attitudes. There have already been a great many studies published which were concerned with the assessment of various. aspects of environmental attitudes. However, few of these studies seem to have undertaken any field testing of the scales used and consequently, the , validity of the scales used may be questioned. Furthermore, very few of the tests were published, which makes it difficult for other workers to confirm the published results. A group of four scales were developed in this study and details of their validity and reliability are presented. The attitude scales were derived from a pool of Likert - type items using an oblique rotation factor analysis of the item responses of senior high school and college students. The first order factor correlation matrix was subjected to a second oblique factor analysis and the factor attitude scales were constructed on the basis of the second order factors.. These scales were then used to investigate the attitudes of students at Rusden State College. Overall it was shown that Environmental Studies students had more favourable attitudes towards the environment than non - Environmental Studies students. No significant differences could be found between the-first and third year students. This could possibly reflect the increased incidence of environmental studies programmes in schools. The scales developed in - this study could prove to be useful in the measurement of environmental attitudes. Future research work in this. area should concentrate more on the relative effects on. environmental attitudes of influences other than environmental education programmes, such as parental and home influences and personal attributes. Thus it would be possible to determine the nature of individuals who need environmental education and the relative impact of different environmental education courses on different groups of students. Also this information would aid the design of environmental education programmes so that each group of students would be presented with the most effective programme.