Degree Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

1985

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how Data Base Management Systems' technology may be used in the improvement and/or assessment of potential teachers in a college of education. Specifically, the study would help determine if a computerized Data Base Management System (DBMS) based PRO*FILE System could assist teacher education candidates during their undergraduate years. The DBMS prototype would provide English-like software for individual instruction of the basic concept of teacher compentencies;This study was part of the on-going PRO*FILE research project of the College of Education at Iowa State University and was supported by technical assistance from the Director, Research Institute for Studies in Education (RISE). The educational research and development (R&D) cycle was used to generate, implement and formatively evaluate a prototype using DEMS theories and methodologies. The prototype represented a computerized prescriptive-diagnostic system of teacher assessment. The prototype was loaded with 12 hypothetical students each containing representative data on a typical student and program of study. The prototype was reviewed by selected administrators, faculty and RISE graduate research assistants. Modifications were based upon the preliminary field test. The evaluation was based on interviews with selected evaluators, analysis of statistics on development time, development costs, and performance;Implementation difficulties may have been lessened with a more commercially available DBMS. The costs associated with implementing the prototype were well within the original estimates. Finding technical support personnel to maintain a DBMS based application may be a major obtacle with an older DBMS. The pilot sample size (N = 12) was insufficient to make any meaningful comparisons between the estimated size of the operational data base and performance considerations of the DBMS, such as input/output buffer requirements;The use of the educational R&D cycle proved to be an effective approach as a model for the computerization of the PRO*FILE System as an educational product. The data base design procedures provide a logical design methodology. Preliminary modifications and field testing indicated that the PRO*FILE System may be a viable educational product.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-12803

Publisher

Digital Repository @ Iowa State University, http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/

Copyright Owner

Chad Lee G. Grabow

Language

en

Proquest ID

AAI8604468

File Format

application/pdf

File Size

255 pages

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