Copyright (c) 2009 Fordham University All rights reserved. http://fordham.bepress.com Recent documents in DigitalResearch@Fordham en-us Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:25:24 PST 3600 http://fordham.bepress.com/phil_facultypubs/1 http://fordham.bepress.com/phil_facultypubs/1 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:29:20 PST Gerard Farley http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI9520612 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI9520612 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:23 PDT For Thomas Aquinas, prudence is the most important virtue for human living. It is prudence that gives form to the moral virtues and makes us act rightly. Prudence deals with decision-making about contingent affairs. Prudence is future oriented, personal, and involves an embodied subject. Prudence guarantees that moral decisions are fitting both to the situation and to the agent and are made in the midst of community. Much of Thomas's stress on prudence, however, has been lost in contemporary approaches to moral decision-making. The Roman Catholic, neo-Thomist approach, as represented by John Connery, reduces prudence to the proper application of norms. The virtuous person is one who properly deduces right acts from a code of legalistic principles. Contemporary deontological approaches to moral decision-making, which William Frankena represents, pushes prudential decisions out of the realm of morality, since prudential decisions involve desires, appetites, and interests. For deontologists, moral agents are rational agents who have divested themselves of desires and interests. Communitarian approaches to virtue ethics, as exemplified by Stanley Hauerwas, replace prudence with a community's vision of right moral behavior that has been shaped by a specific narrative. The personal virtue of prudence is subsumed into a communal standard. Ironically, it is the work of Carol Gilligan and other feminist writers that returns prudence to a place of prominence in moral decision-making. Feminist ethics points out how most contemporary theories of moral decision-making are based on the experiences of a privileged group of males. In order for moral theory to integrate the experiences of those who have been systematically excluded there must be an acceptance of the personal embodied agent who makes moral decisions in the midst of contingent, concrete situations. Feminists reincorporate particularity and partiality into moral theory and prudential decision-making again becomes vitally important. Using a test case of parental decison-making throughout this study helps exemplify the strengths and weaknesses of these various approaches. Marilyn Ann Martone Theology http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI9304519 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI9304519 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:22 PDT This investigation was a retrospective two-case study of science intervention programs. It examined select components (philosophy and goals, student characteristics, program activities and their implementation, evaluation procedure, and parental involvement) of two Science and Technology Entry Programs (STEP) to determine the patterns and trends from 1988-1991. This investigation also sought to determine the perceptions of student participants toward science and scientists after participating in STEP and the perceptions of their parents about the programs and their participation. The investigation sought to answer eight questions about the programs. The major findings of this research were as follows: (a) there is a large pool of students who are interested in science and technology among the underrepresented ethnic groups; (b) the State's eligibility criteria for enrolling in the STEP program limited access to many interested students; (c) the two projects attracted more female students than male students; (d) although the programs had different characteristics, size, location, philosophy and goals, and mode of instruction, their impact on student performance was not significantly different; however, there was a significant difference on their impact by the grade level at which the intervention was initiated; (e) traditional tools of assessment are not effective in identifying all interested and talented students in science and technology and, therefore, other evaluation tools should also be used; (f) parents of secondary school students can be encouraged to participate in their children's education; (g) these interventions (STEP) were effective in changing the perceptions of students toward science and parent perceptions about interventions and their participation in their secondary school children's education. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) Yvonne Tauriac LeMelle Science education,Secondary education http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361468 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361468 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:18 PDT The research into alternative and traditional teaching preparation programs has not shown that either pathway is superior, suggesting that each program is perceived as having more attractive characteristics than not. Some teacher education programs offer characteristics from both traditional and alternative programs. These types of hybrid programs vary, but offer the best features of the two models of teacher preparation. The Jumpstart program at Manhattanville College is an intense, accelerated program designed primarily for career changers. The program design allows individuals to complete half of the required graduate program coursework in just over 5 months and begin paid, full time teaching under an internship certificate in the fall. They complete all other program requirements in the spring, during which time they are employed as full time teachers, and the summer. The program includes a 39-credit course program divided into three levels: entry level, intermediate, and capstone. The entry level include foundations of education and/or multiculturalism, methods of teaching, exceptional students and classroom management, and assessment. The intermediate level courses focus on curriculum, instruction, and content specific coursework. One hundred hours of field experience and observations is also required. The capstone level includes the practicum experience of full time teaching (replacing student teaching) and associated seminars. Teachers are monitored for a full year by their mentor. This study examined the concerns, levels of use, and levels of surface or deep knowledge of 43 intern teachers participating in this hybrid teacher education program. Data were collected at the onset and prior to the completion of the program using the Stages of Concerns Questionnaire, Levels of Use interviews, and teacher reflection journals. Findings indicated participants changed their concerns about teaching in some stages within the three phases of concern (self, task, impact). They also increased their level of use of teaching in all categories, and increased their level of both surface and deep knowledge. Peter Ianniello Teacher education http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361470 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361470 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:18 PDT This study examined the association between self-efficacy and self-rated abilities in association with college students' adjustment and academic performance. Self-efficacy and self-rated abilities are constructs that developed within separate theoretical frameworks and are conceptualized in distinct ways, yet appear to have more similarities than differences. For example, both self-efficacy and self-rated abilities are independently conceptualized as self-beliefs that an individual has about his or her own ability. Both are theoretically and empirically associated with important career variables including college students' adjustment and academic performance. Significant positive associations between each of the study's variables were hypothesized. A diverse sample of 271 full-time undergraduate college students with majors in the liberal arts participated in this study. One hundred seventy participants, representing 62% of the sample, completed the paper version of the study, while 101 participants, representing the remainder, completed the online version. In addition to a request for informed consent and release of records, participants completed the College Self-Efficacy Inventory, the Self-Estimates subscale of the Self-Directed Search, the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire, and a demographic survey. No significant demographic or participatory differences were found for self-efficacy, self-rated ability, or adjustment scores. Principal data analysis was conducted using correlational and regression analyses. Results support all five of the study's hypotheses. Significant positive associations were found between self-efficacy and self-rated abilities; between self-efficacy, self-rated abilities, and college students' adjustment; between self-efficacy, self-rated abilities, and college students' academic performance; and among all four constructs. Results also show that when self-efficacy and self-rated abilities were considered together, self-efficacy but not self-rated abilities made a significant positive contribution to adjustment and self-rated abilities but not self-efficacy made a significant positive contribution to college students' academic performance. The results show a significant positive association between the constructs that varies in different combinations. As these constructs rarely, if ever, operate in isolation, this study makes a contribution by quantifying the degree of association between the constructs. It also provides information about each construct's degree of association with the others and suggests potential areas for theoretical convergence as well as implications for practice. Suggestions for future research are included. Margaret Brady-Amoon School counseling,Educational psychology,Higher education http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI6300205 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI6300205 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:18 PDT THOMAS JOSEPH GRADILONE Classical studies http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361463 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361463 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:17 PDT This research investigated the relationship of racial attitudes, performance integrity, self-esteem, and universality-diversity orientation among urban police officers. Initially, a total of 152 Police Officers were administered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Modern Racism Scale (1981), the Miville-Guzman Universality-Diversity Scale (2000), the Police Integrity Survey (Klockars et al., 2000), and the Charles Police Scenarios (2007). The usable sample consisted of 142 officers. The study was also designed to investigate the relationship of demographic variables (race, gender, age, and seniority) with racial attitudes, self-esteem, universal-diversity orientation, and professional integrity. The researcher proposed 10 hypotheses. Results of study demonstrated support for 5 of the hypotheses, partial support for one hypothesis, and 4 null hypotheses were rejected. It was hypothesized that the participants' racial attitudes, self-esteem, and universal diverse orientation would have significant and positive correlations with levels of professional integrity. It was hypothesized that the participants' seniority, gender, and race would be predictors of level of professional integrity. Statistically significant relationships were found between: (1) modern racism and race of the officers with Black officers scoring lower than White officers, (2) modern racism and age, with older officers scoring lower on racism than younger officers, (3) modern racism and seniority, with senior officers scoring lower than junior officers, and (4) modern racism and self-esteem, with officers with high self-esteem scoring lower in racism. Partial support was found for the hypotheses examining relationships among variables of interest (MRS, UDO, and RSES), predicting police integrity scores above and beyond the score variance predicted by demographic variables. More specifically, self-esteem predicted integrity scores above and beyond demographic variables. The study results found no significant relationships among the following: (a) seniority on the job and integrity, (b) race and integrity, (c) gender and integrity, (d) modern racism and integrity, or (e) modern racism and gender. Consequently, no evidence was found to support these hypotheses. This study adds to existing research by examining the racial attitudes of police officers, self-esteem measures, and the implications of these constructs on police behavior and professional integrity. Limitations of the study are noted, and both quantitative and qualitative future research directions are presented. Sophine Charles Social psychology,Public administration,Ethnic studies http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361461 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361461 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:17 PDT Asian American college students experience challenges that affect their academic and career decisions. The current study assessed the applicability of previous findings regarding attachment, intergenerational family conflict, vocational self-concept crystallization, and career indecision to the population of Asian American youths. The study also explored gender differences in the roles of attachment and intergenerational family conflict, vocational self-concept crystallization, and career indecision. Finally, the study examined two specific models to elucidate the relationship between vocational self-concept crystallization and career indecision. The sample consisted of 206 Asian American college students (50 men, 156 women, mean age 20.06). Participants completed an informed consent, demographic questionnaire, and a survey comprised of four measures (Asian American Family Conflicts Scale, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, Vocational Rating Scale, and Career Decision Scale) that were available on a website. An independent samples t test revealed no significant gender differences among the predictor and outcome variables. The results of path analytic models indicated that intergenerational family conflict and vocational self-concept crystallization were predictors of career indecision whereas parental attachment was not a predictor of career indecision; vocational self-concept crystallization was not found to be a mediator in the relations of parental attachment and intergenerational family conflict to career indecision. Results also indicated that both path models with career indecision and vocational self-concept crystallization as mediators were comparable in fitting the data. The study shed light on a familial variable, intergenerational family conflict, which should be considered when conceptualizing Asian Americans' vocational self-concept crystallization and career indecision. It also highlighted the complexity of the relationship between two interrelated constructs of vocational self-concept crystallization and career indecision. Angela Eun Kang School counseling,Psychology,Ethnic studies,Higher education http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361467 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361467 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:17 PDT Theoretical models of social competence and aggression among adolescents in the peer milieu within the school context enhance school-based and peer-based prevention and intervention practices. Examining social competence and aggression among urban, low socioeconomic status adolescents is especially important, given their exposure to stressors such as crime and gang-related violence. This study investigated the factor patterns and structural parameters of three models of social competence and aggression. One hundred and ninety-three culturally diverse, low socioeconomic ninth- and tenth- grade adolescents completed measures assessing (a) individual differences (self reports of agreeableness, self-regulation, and social problem-solving), (b) peer social status (peer nominations of likeability, perceived popularity, and social dominance) and (c) aggression (self reports and peer nominations of relational and overt aggression). Unidimensional, hierarchical, and multitrait, multimethod models of social competence and aggression models were tested via structural equation modeling. When the hypothesized models failed to converge, three new models of adolescent social functioning that were based on a theory of social dominance were proposed and tested: (a) prosocial, (b) coercive, and (c) bistrategic (combination of prosocial and coercive behaviors). The coercive model fit the data best, followed by the bistrategic model. The prosocial model held little explanatory value. The results suggested that a limited number of behaviors such as spreading rumors or being physically aggressive resulted in peer perceptions of popularity and social dominance, whereas a multitude of other behaviors likely influence peer perceptions of likeability. Implications for school-based and peer-based interventions were discussed. Jacquelyn Doran-Cunningham Social psychology,Educational psychology,Developmental psychology http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361361 http://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI3361361 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:06:16 PDT Over the last thirty years more and more lay leaders have transitioned to prominent roles as presidents of American Catholic colleges and universities. This study provides a comprehensive demographic look at the lay women and men who lead over half of the nation's Catholic colleges and universities, as well as provides interesting and noteworthy findings on their perceptions regarding many important issues surrounding themselves and American Catholic higher education. It places particular interest in those presidents who are the first lay leaders at their institutions. Seventy presidents from institutions located all across the United States completed and returned an eight-page survey instrument. The instrument inquired about and provided institutional demographic information, personal demographic information, and many lay presidential perceptions on areas such as personal spirituality, institutional roles and responsibilities, personal charism and Catholicity, acceptance as leader by various constituencies, transitioning to the position, tensions related to their hiring, institutional Catholic identity, personal leadership styles and personal satisfaction, effectiveness and pride. The survey findings were broadened and validated by follow-up interviews with selected lay presidents. The dissertation provides a broad review of literature relating to the rise of the laity in Catholic higher education, as well as theories related to the lay president's preferred transformational and charismatic leadership styles. Some of the significant findings include the overwhelming majority of the lay leaders feel they are living their vocation in their positions and by their life choices; they have good working relationships with their local Bishop; they take great pride in their roles as Catholic leaders, they tie their effectiveness and satisfaction as president to familiarity with and understanding of the charism and traditions of the founding congregation. These are confident Catholic servant-leaders who attempt to live lives worthy of the positions they proudly hold. This study portrays tremendous respect for the past and optimism for the future among the lay leaders of American Catholic colleges and universities. Richard Charles Petriccione School administration,Higher education