7902128 FRANKLIN* Fpatricia ANN INTEGRATION OF:DATA PROCESSING CONCEPTS in the SECONDARY and POST-SECONDARY VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
7 9 0 2 1 2 8 FRANKLIN* f PATRICIA ANN INTEGRATION OF:DATA PROCESSING CONCEPTS IN THE SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA. THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY* PH.D.t 1978 University Microfilm s International s o o n, z e e b r o a d , a n n a r b o r, m m b io b INTEGRATION OF DATA PROCESSING CONCEPTS IN THE SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Patricia Ann Franklin, B.S., M.A.Ed. ***** The Ohio State University 1978 Reading Committee: Approved By Mildred Hillestad Otto Santos Adviser Neal Vivian Department of Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The writer is sincerely grateful to the members of her dissertation committee who gave her direction and encouragement during the study: Doctor Mildred Hillestad, Chairperson, Doctor Otto Santos, and Doctor Neal Vivian. The writer is also thankful to Ms. Helen Young, departmental secretary, for her assistance and counsel during the course work of the doctorate program. Personal appreciation and gratitude is due to her husband, Jim, for his endurance, patience, and love during the course of study. Appreciation is also expressed to her parents whose constant encouragement served as a continuous source of inspiration. The writer is indebted to her sister, Mary, for her assistance in the typing, editing, and reproduction of material for the completion of this study. The writer is also grateful for the assistance received from Jim Ford and Doctor John Baker, Director of Institutional Research at Alabama State University. ii VITA May 5, 1951 .................. Born - Montgomery, Alabama 1973 ......................... B.S., Alabama A&M University Huntsville, Alabama 1973-74 ....................... Stenographer, Atomic Energy Commission, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 1974-75 ................. Teaching Assistant, Department of Business Education, Tennessee State University 1975 ..... .............. M.A.Ed., Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee 1975-76 ....................... Research Associate, The Research Center for Vocational Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus., Ohio 1976 .................... Acting Chairperson, Department of Business Education and Office Administra tion, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama 1977 ......................... Assistant Professor, Business Education Division, Alabama State University, Montgomery, Alabama PUBLICATIONS "An Experimental Study of Teaching Typewriting to Elementary Students in Nashville." Unpublished Thesis, Tennessee State University, 1975. Business Education Student Handbook. Department of Business Education, Alabama State University, 1978. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Business Education Minor Fields: Management; Guidance & Counseling; Vocational Education; Teacher Education; iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS........................................... ii VITA .................. iii LIST OF T A B L E S ............................................... vi Chapter I. INTRODUCTION AND THE PROBLEM..................... 1 Statement of the P r o b l e m ................... 3 Purposes of the S t u d y ....................... 4 Delimitation of the Study ....................... 5 Definition of Terms ............................. 5 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ......................... 7 Related Literature ............................. 7 Related Dissertations ........................... 19 II. RESEARCH PROCEDURES..................................... 26 Development of the Research Instruments..... 26 Selection of the P o p u l a t i o n s ............... 28 Collecting the D a t a ......................... 31 IV. DEPARTMENT HEAD QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS.......... 33 Characteristics of Data Processing Departments . 33 Development of Data Processing Instruction . 41 Organization of Data Processing Instruction .. 48 Summary..................................... 55 V. INSTRUCTOR QUESTIONNAIRE F I N D I N G S ............... 57 Background Information on Data Processing Instructors............................... 57 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued Chapter Page V. INSTRUCTOR QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS— Continued Professional Training of Data Processing Instructors................................. 59 Instructional Training of Data Processing S t u d e n t s ................................... 63 Summary....................................... 71 VI. DATA PROCESSING MANAGER INTERVIEW SCHEDULE FINDINGS............................. '........... •'72 Data Processing Equipment..................... 73 Educational Requirements of Data Processing Employees................................... 76 S ummary....................................... 92 VII. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS................................. 95 Summary of Findings........................... 96 Conclusions ................................. 107 Recommendations ............................... 108 APPENDIXES A. List of Secondary Schools, Post-Secondary Institutions, and Business Firms Used in the S t u d y ............ Ill B. Transmittal L e t t e r ................................. 115 C. Instructor Questionnaire ........................... 117 D. Department Head Questionnaire..................... 124 E. Data Processing Manager Interview Schedule ......... 135 F. Follow-up Letter ........................... 142 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................... 144 /» v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Sales and Clerical Employees Employed ................... 29 2. Listing of Schools Used in Study ....................... 3. Number of Participants Responding ....................... 32 4. Institutions Offering A Unit or Course(s) in Data Processing................ 34 5. Number of Data Processing Teachers Employed ............. 35 6. Use of Data Processing Personnel as Part-time Data Processing Instructors ............ 35 7. Frequence of Full-time Data Processing Instructors Receiving In-Service Training ........................... 36 8. Updating of Data Processing Teachers ..................... 37 9. Work Experience Requirements of Data Processing Teachers ................................... 38 10. Qualifications for Selection of Part-time Instructors . 39 11. Approximate Number of Business Education Students ......... 40 12. Ownership of Data Processing E q u i p m e n t ................ 41 13. Time Period When Institutions Began Offering Instruction in Data P r o c e s s i n g ....................................... 42 14. Primary Reason for Offering Instruction in any Phase of Data P r o c e s s i n g ......................................... 43 15. Host Serious Problems in the Operation of Data Processing Instruction ................................... 45 16. Data Processing Program Changes ..................... 46 vi LIST OF TABLES— Continued Table Page 17. Determination of Program Changes ....................... 47 18. Grade Level of Students Enrolled in Data Processing C o u r s e s ............................................... 48 19. Selection of Students for the Data Processing Courses . ........................................... 49 20. Prerequisites Required for Entry to Data Processing P r o g r a m ............................................... 50 21. Amount of Laboratory Work Performed Per W e e k .......... 51 22. Courses Taught by Part-time Personnel ................ 52 23. Location of Where Students Get Most J o b s .............. 53 24. Problems Experienced in Placing Students . .......... 54 25. Total Teaching Experience ............................. 58 26. Business Data Processing Teaching Experience .......... 59 27. Data Processing Areas in Which Teachers are Now Teaching.............. 60 28. Courses in Data Processing Studied By Instructors . 61 29. Computer Programming Languages Studied By Instructors . 61 30. Sources Utilized By Instructors in Keeping Update in Data Processing..................................... 62 31. Recommendations Regarding Data Processing Courses Needed By Business Education Teachers ......................... 64 32. Emphases of Instruction in Business Data Processing . 65 33. Computer Programming Languages Being Taught .......... 66 34. Skills Instructors Felt Should Be Required of Computer Operators, Programmers, and Systems Analysts .......... 69 35. Data Processing Equipment Used By Students ............ 70 36. Data Processing Equipment Located in the Business F i r m s ......... 74 vii LIST OF TABLES— Continued Table Page 37. Types of Data Processing Equipment Utilized By Schools and Businesses ................................. 75 38. Preferred Level of Education for Selected Data Processing Positions ................................... 78 39. Data Processing Source of Training..................... 7 9 40. Location of Where OJT Classes are Provided or T a u g h t ............................................. 80 41. Educational Areas People With the Following Jobs Should Have Had C o u r s e s .......... 82 42. Specific Skills Required By Businesses for Computer Operator, Programmer, and Systems Analyst ............ 85 43. Skills Required By Businesses and Teachers for a Computer Operator ..................................... 86 44. Skills Required By Businesses and Teachers for a Programmer............................................. 88 # 45. Skills Required By Businesses and Teachers for a Systems Analyst ....................................... 89 46. Data Processing Work Experience Required