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H: ‘ .7: 4’" . c"'.‘_l .| ". “I I" ”wthyt" II V 'l ' ~: I' f. x ‘h .’ 4*”; .N "l?!" 5:. . 'I ,II ' .‘ ‘I, ‘ -‘ ., ,‘ .I .“ _.“..'.".. 1'4' ”as _ “f: '::.> ‘.‘cq‘ . ”1‘ 9 I:A)8 " ‘¢. "J V" ' 1K“: .- .’ _ '.. u . .na' (7" :H“ ”14% ~ . .P'! L'Wlflml’v " .‘Qx 131293 LIBRARY |00 Michigan State University This is to certify that the dissertation entitled COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAMS: AN ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTION presented by DAVID JAY STEENSTRA has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D. Higher Education degree in Eldon Nonnamaker Mu mm MILL” n m L Major professor Date October 15, 1985 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution 0-12771 lVIESI.) RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to LJBRARJES remove this checkout from .—;—. your record. FINES will — , be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. JUN o 4 2004 . V 321903 5 AUG :1 102.2%}. COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAMS: AN ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTION BY David Jay Steenstra A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY College of Education Department of Educational Administration 1985 Copyright by DAVID JAY STEENSTRA 1985 ABSTRACT COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAMS: AN ANALYSIS OF PERCEPTION BY DAVID JAY STEENSTRA The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the perceptions of participants of college honors programs. The method of research utilized in this study was ethnographically based, which employs qualitative measures rather than statistical data. Several tools were used in this analysis, including: literature resources, college catalogues, honors program director surveys, honors program professor surveys, honors student surveys, non-honors student surveys, and field site observation of a college honors class. The research population was limited to the Central and Western Michigan areas. The basic objective leading this study was to assess whether college honors programs actually do what they are supposed to do: challenge the academically motivated student to respond to the rigor of the curriculum. Additionally, the study will serve two significant purposes: a more comprehensive understanding of college honors programs and a richer understanding of the perceptions which often accompany college honors programs. Suggestions were developed for college officials David Jay Steenstra contemplating starting an honors program or for evaluating existing programs. The recommendations presented in this study suggest the necessity of accurate participant assessment. Models were developed to clarify the assessment process. It may be concluded from the study that honors programs are important and enable colleges to take steps in response to the attacks on the quality of higher education. Honors programs should clearly be conceived in reality and practicality, but at the same time, they should be designed to enhance the participants' "ideal self" rather than the "real self". ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This dissertation and my doctoral studies could not have been completed without the assistance and encouragement received from several people on my team. My deep appreciation is expressed to the members of my doctoral guidance committee: Professor Lou Hekhuis, Professor Howard Hickey, and Professor Gloria Kielbaso. Their inspiration sparked the motivation I needed to endure this challenge. Special recognition is due my committee chair, Professor Eldon Nonnamaker, who painstakingly spent long hours guiding my efforts to completion. His wit and wisdom will long be remembered. Gratitude is expressed to the participants of the various surveys conducted in this study. To the directors of the honors programs, the honors professors, the honors students, and the non-honors students who responded to my survey, I am indebted. And to a special friend, Ben Mocini, who helped coordinate the surveys, I am most grateful. I am grateful for the open cooperation demonstrated by the field site administration, honors program coordinator, and honors professors, whose identity must remain anonymous in accord to our agreement of confidentiality. Lastly, I am deeply appreciative of the support shown by my colleagues at Davenport College. The administration, staff, and faculty were very patient and supportive. A special thanks to my secretary whose suggestions and guidance were invaluable. ii FOREWARD Many academicians concur that college honors programs promote educational value, quality, and excellence. The issue of academic quality is really not contemporary. The concept itself pre-dates accurate historical records. Citations about academic quality demonstrate the discussion since the early Greek scholars to the present. One interesting insight came from the Renaissance. One setting which emerged during The Renaissance is similar to the environment ideally suited for college honors programs. The Renaissance came to be as a result of great minds being encouraged to excell, and as a result, eventually a merger of perspective occured (i.e. art and math were combined to develop a perspective drawing). Before the Medici family financed the arts, those who were gifted felt isolated and lonely. Many times they felt rejected by society. Once these gifted individuals were allowed a place in society and also permitted to interact among each other, great things started to happen. It was this environment that was crucial to the movement. By having their own space, these gifted individuals could interact on a similar "wave length", considering the "what ifs" and any possibility with which they were intrigued. Once the Medici family gave them a place in society things changed radically because instead of rejection they were encouraged to excell. In fact, excelling usually gave one a place of honor in one's town. iii Without this context, The Renaissance may have been much less meaningful. It seems that these individuals needed a special environment in which they~ first could excell and later contribute and produce for society. It is with a very similar perspective that college honors programs have been established. Given the proper environment, honors students should be able‘ to excell, unrestricted by the traditional bonds of higher education. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS £292 AKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii LIST OF EXHIBITS . . . . . . . . . . . . viii FOREWARD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii my; 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . 1 Background of the Study . . . . . . 1 Academic Quality . . . . . . . . . l The Product of Higher Education . . . . 2 Description of a College Honors Program . 3 Objective of the Study . . . . . . .. 4 Research Questions . . . . . . . . 5 Contributions of the Study . . . . . 5 Delimitations and Generalizability of Findings . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Organization of Subsequent Chapters . . 6 2 RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW . . . . . . . . 7 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 7 Features of College Honors Programs . . 8 Characteristics of College Honors Participants . . . . . . . . . . 9 Citations From College Catalogues . . . lo Behavior, Motivation, and Perception . . 15 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . 24 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 24 Assertions . . . . . . . . . . 25 Description of the Field Site . . Interviews and Surveys . . . . . 4 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA . . . Introduction . . . . . . . . Summary of Survey Responses . . . Honors Program Directors . . Honors Program Professors . . Honors Students . . . . . Non-Honors Students . . . . Summary of Field Site Research . . Personal Data . . . . . . Honors Student Characteristics Profile of High School Honors Candidates . . . . . . Testing and Analysis of Assertions . Student Perceptions of Honors Program Advantages . . . . Student Perceptions of Honors Program Disadvantages . . . Analysis of Key Linkages . . 5 SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . . . summary 0 I O O O O O O O 0 Discussion . . . . . . . . . Conclusions . . . . . . . . Recommendations . . . . . . . NOTES 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 vi 27 29 34 34 34 35 36 36 38 39 39 39 39 42 45 45 53 58 58 58 6O 62 67 72 Chapter REFERENCES . . . . . APPENDICES . . . . A. Honors Program Director Survey B. Honors Professor Survey C. Honors Student Survey D. Non-Honors Student Survey E. Consent Agreement . vii 74 78 78 80 82 84 86 LIST OF EXHIBITS 552.1191; Page 1 Model of Individual Behavior and Performance . . . 18 2 Herzberg's Motivation - Hygiene Findings . . . . 20 3 Perception Formation and its Effects on Behavior . 22 4 Room Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 5 Student Responses/Questions . . . . . . . . 41 6 Perceptual Comparison of Curricula Challenge and Classroom Interaction . . . . . . . . . 47 7 The Taking of Organizational Roles . . . . . . 55 8 Perceptual Class Hierarchy of College Honors 8 tudent B O O O O O O O O I O O O O O 6 3 9 Transformation: The Role Taking Process of College Honors Program Participants . . . . . 66 10 Classification of Research Findings . . . . . . 68 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE PROBLEM BQQKQIQBDQ_2£_EBB_§LBQ¥ Higher education is being challenged on almost every front today. Industry and Government have questioned the benefits of higher education. Industry is now spending billions of dollars educating its employees "in-house", while both state and federal government have challenged the quality of higher education and proposed significant reductions in funding. One of the major questions of the attack is academic quality. Academicians have had minor success in defining what constitutes academic quality, at least to the satisfaction of both academicians and the outside pressure groups. Academic u lit A statement included in the foreward of the National Commission's Report on Higher Education Issues entitled "To Strengthen Quality in Higher Education" indicates the concern of the Government about educational quality. "For higher learning, the most precious asset is public confidence. Despite constrained resources, higher education has, on the whole, managed to maintain the quality of its programs. But there are signs that quality standards are being jeopardized. Criticism is growing that many entering students are deficient in the academic skills necessary to successful pursuit of higher 1 education, along with the subsequent suggestion that degrees no longer certify those who earn them are men and women of learning. These warning signs will be ignored only at great peril. For this reason the Commission selected for its primary attention the issue of enhancing academic quality" In his recent book entitled "Achieving Educational Excellence", Alexander Astin argues that academic excellence is often measured by a variety of alternative methods, including: 1. Institutional Beputatiog. The heirarchy of higher education is often organized into a set of shared beliefs, which constitutes nothing more than folklore. 2. Wm. Included in this measurement is staff, facilities, students, and money. 3. Qttcgmes. The ultimate test of an institution is the quality of its product - careers and status of its graduates. However, both great students and great professors probably would have been great almost anywhere. 4. ant_gt. What is being taught? Many educators measure quality on the measurement of the number of business and education graduates compared to liberal arts graduates. 5. Talent Qevglgpmggt. This measure applies to both student and professor. Astin believes this could be the most accurate measure of quality because it is directly related to the benefits of higher education. odu o h d catio In an educational sense, the product of higher education is a service: a need-satisfying offering of the institution. E. Jerome McCarthy states that customers buy satisfaction not parts. The assessment of a college academic program should include "product assortment". Marketing scholars have classified consumer products into four groups: convenience goods: shopping goods: specialty goods: and unsought goods.3 There are obvious parallels between the classification of consumer goods and the classification of college students. Some students attend college for a variety of convenient reasons. Other students select a college after "shopping around" for programs, reputation, and costs. Still other students are "special". Colleges need to recognize these special needs by offering special programs. As colleges scramble to respond to the attacks of government and industry questioning the quality of its product, one possible alternative is the establishment of an honors program for exceptional students. If properly conceived and implemented, an honors program should breed academic excellence, not only within the program itself, but also within the institution as a whole (Friedlander, 1983). A recent article in Ih§_2gtt91t_ztgg__2tg§§ supports this assertion by crediting the Honors College at Michigan State University for helping to produce more Rhodes Scholars in the past decade than any other university in the nation.4 D o a Co e e Hono s ro ra A college honors program is a course of study designed to provide exceptional students the opportunity to pursue a challenging program of study. The emphasis of an honors program is placed on individualized program planning rather than a tightly prescribed set of courses. Honors students normally are permitted to reshape their course of study so that they may enjoy a program which will broaden their perspectives and prepare them for challenging career opportunities. Many college honors programs admit high school graduates on the basis of outstanding high school academic achievement and college entrance examination scores. Additionally, students currently enrolled in a regular degree program may apply to the honors program after a term of study. Entry into the honors program, as well as continuing membership, is normally based on a high grade- point average. The mechanics of operating an honors program varies from college to college, however, most colleges offer special honors sections, reserved for honors students only. The remainder of the students' program is regular classroom work, side by side with non-honors students. In a few unusual cases, colleges offer a complete degree program for honors students consisting of nearly all honors sections, and few, if any, non-honors sections. While honors programs account for a very small percentage of total college enrollments, they do contribute significantly to the image and repute of an institution. v o tu The major concern of this study is whether college honors programs actually do what they are supposed to do: challenge the academically motivated student to respond to the rigor of the curriculum. A thorough discussion of this objective will include a wide variety of perceptions associated with college honors programs. W In framing the focus of this study, questions were developed to measure the following perceptions: 1. How do honors students perceive students not in the honors program? 2. How do non-honors students perceive honors students? 3. How do honors students perceive other honors students? 4. How do honors professors involved in honors classes perceive honors students? 5. How do honors students perceive their professors? 6. How do honors program directors perceive the program, its professors, and its students? 7. How do honors students perceive honors programs? 0 bu ud This study will serve two significant purposes: 1. A more comprehensive understanding of college honors programs. 2. A rich understanding of the perceptions which often accompany college honors programs. e t o s a o n s The study was limited to an ethnographic analysis of perceptions of individuals affiliated with college honors programs located in the Western and Central Michigan geographic area. The analysis of perceptions in this focus is on qualitative data rather than quantitative data. Hence, the results of the study are not generalizable to all institutions of higher education with honors programs. Mia-WM Chapter I included a discussion of the background of the problem, importance of the study, purpose of the study, research questions to be explored, and delimitations of the study. In Chapter II, pertinent research and literature related to the subject of this study are reviewed. Chapter III contains a description of the design and methodology used in the study. The data collected and analyzed in the study are presented in Chapter IV. In Chapter V, a summary of the study, discussion of the findings, appropriate conclusions, and recommendations for future research are presented. CHAPTER II RELATED LITERATURE REVIEW IBEEQQEQLLQB The purpose of this study was to determine whether college honors programs actually do what they are supposed to do, congruent with the literature: challenge the academically motivated student and contribute to the advancement of quality and excellence in higher education. Sources of this review included: an Educational Resources Information Center search (ERIC), topical search of Dissertation Abstracts International, a compilation provided by The Grand Rapids Area Union List of Serials (GRAULS - a cooperative association of education and industry literature resources), statistical data accumulated by Phi Beta Kappa, and references from approximately one hundred-twenty college catalogues. The topical search focused on academically gifted students and college programs, honors curriculum and postsecondary education, academic excellence, and perceptual characteristics and individual differences. Demographic profiles were also investigated. The review of literature is organized under four main headings: (1) Features of College Honors Programs: (2) Characteristics of College Honors Participants; (3) Citations from College Catalogues, and; (4) Behavior, Motivation, and Perception. 8 Featuree of College HonoretPrograms With varying degrees of modification, college honors programs feature a wide variety of intellectual and social stimulation. According to Friedlander (1982) and Piland and Gould (1982) common program features may include: 1. Financial Scholarship. Often, honors students are awarded financial scholarships ranging from partial to full remission of cost. Awards are made from the general scholarship fund or students may receive specifically identified scholarships endowed by business and community leaders. 2. Coursework. Classes are generally limited in size. Students enroll in special honors section classes and in regular college classes, in which faculty develop an addendum to the course syllabus. 3. Honore Colloquium. An outside speakers program in which distinguished lecturers and top corporate executives are invited to campus to participate in a forum, is a common program feature. 4. Facultv Mentore. Because of the special nature of course study, students have much closer access to faculty. 5. Regietration Privilegee. Honors students register before non-honors students. 6. Library Privilege. In addition to the normal library privileges, honors students are permitted to check out periodicals and other reserved materials. 7. Graduation Recognition. An honors designation is recorded in their academic records, and their diplomas are embossed accordingly. 8. Honore Societiee. Students are eligible to join a number of prestigious National Honors Societies. ‘ 9. Special Educational and Intellectual Activitiee. Banquets, social activities, and honors councils are just a few of the possible activities included in honors programs. lo. Honore Symposium. Participation in general discussion topics with faculty and staff. 11. Honors College Newsletter. Designed to disseminate information about the program, noteworthy events, and provocative issues, newsletters are sent to current students as well as program alums each quarter. Characteristicetof College Honors Participante Honors students are expected to demonstrate their scholarship by engaging in research and independent study as part of their academic program of study. Honors students frequently serve in internship positions with executives and upper level management of prominant corporations. The most commonly reported academic demand is the rigor of the curriculum. Previous research conducted by Piland and Azbell indicates that over three-fourths of all honors students participate in the program for the challenge. Their study also indicates these academic demands lead to high self-expectations for the students and high faculty expectations.5 Honors programs admit high school graduates both by invitation and student generated application, on the basis of outstanding high school academic achievement and college aptitude test scores. Applicants must normally meet some of the following criteria: a score of 25 on the ACT; a score of 1100 on the SAT; graduated in the top 10% of their high school class. Transfer students, continuing education students, and non-honors students currently enrolled in regular degree 10 programs may apply to the honors program after completing 18 credit hours of study. A cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 is normally expected for admission as well as maintaining continuing membership in the program. Some of the expected benefits for honors program participants include: 1. Small class size. 2. Outstanding faculty and students. 3. Opportunity to work with instructors on special projects. 4. Participation in honors-related events. 5. Recognition on transcripts, certificates, diplomas. 6. Transfer to the top universities to complete degree requirements or enter graduate school. Fr 01 e t es A major source of information for college students, prospective students, and interested outside others is the college catalogue. Often, questions about classes, programs, faculty, etc., can be answered by carefully reviewing the catalogue. A prospective honors student may want to know what the program is all about, and may develop perceptions about honors classes based on information provided in the catalogue. The following quotes are taken from the college catalogue where field research was conducted: The Honors Program is intended for students who, in their previous schoolwork, have demonstrated a distinctly high level of intelligence, motivation, creativity, and academic achievement. Drawing from 11 all the undergraduate departments, the Honors Program provides its students a program with special academic opportunities for challenges. Honors Program course offerings are designed to enhance and integrate the intellectual curiosity of our gifted students and to enlarge their world view and personal development. The designation "Honors Program Graduate" on the students' diploma is intended to recognize unusual distinction in the work of honors students. Honors Program courses and seminars are taught by faculty drawn from all disciplines. Honors Designate courses are part of the regular offerings of each department, and the Honors Senior Projects are part of, or closely related to, the regular courses of each department. The Honors Program is administered by a director and an advisory committee composed of faculty members representing various disciplines. The committee determines requirements and guidelines and is involved directly in advising honors students and overseeing other aspects of the Honors Program. Students benefit in several ways from the Honors Program. First, intellectual and academic challenges result from sharing specially designed classes with other students of outstanding potential: small classes of highly motivated learners spark a special atmosphere, one where important questions, treated seriously, arise at every turn. Second, some practical benefits accrue. Honors Program students have the assistance of a specially assigned Honors Program advisor. Honors Program students have the privilege of advanced placement in courses normally requiring prerequisites, and Honors Program students share in specially planned activities, lectures, and social events, and are admitted to designated cultural programs at no cost. Honors students may also register for classes on the first day of registration. Completion of the Honors Program should not be confused with "Graduation With Honors", which is determined strictly by final grade point average. The Honors Program requires not only a high grade point average, but also distinctive achievement in a special series of challenging courses. Completion of all Honors Program requirements results in the "Honors Program Graduate" 12 designation on both baccalaureate diploma and the college transcript, as well as special recognition at commencement exercises. Qualified students will be invited to participate in the Honors Program if they have a 3.5 high school GPA and an ACT score of at least 26, or an ACT composite score of at least 28. Transfer students and those already enrolled at the College who wish to enter the Honors Program may apply for admission if they have a 3.2 college GPA per year. Applications are made to the director of the Honors Program and should be accompanied with at least one letter of recommendation from an advisor or faculty member. The Honors Program Committee will consider waivers of program requirements for transfer students and students already enrolled at the College. There will, however, be no waivers of basic entrance requirements. All students who meet these admission requirements or who have been in other college programs are encouraged to apply to the Honors Program. To remain a member of the Honors Program a student must maintain at least a 3.2 GPA in all courses per year. To complete the Honors Program, a student must satisfy the following course requirements: 1. English 170 Honors: Introduction to Literature. This course fulfills the basic writing skills requirements. 2. HP225-HP256 Honors Humanities: Four courses in a one-year sequence (two per semester), which will cover the literature, art, philosophy, and history of a specific era (e.g., nineteenth-century Europe, Classical Greece). 3. HP257-HP258 Honors Social Sciences: Two courses in which several professors in various disciplines will examine specific problems related to the social sciences. 4. HP259-HP260 Honors Mathematics and Natural Sciences: Two courses in which professors from mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, and the history of science will investigate a specific problem in the sciences from various points of view. 5. One Honors Seminar. 6. HP499: One Honors Senior Project. 13 The eight honors courses in humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences fulfill the general education distribution and Supplementary Writing Skills requirements. Students who are unable to fulfill all of the requirements because of prerequisites in their major may remain in the program by taking some of their courses as designates. Please see the director of the program for further details. An honors designate course is a regularly scheduled course within a department which significantly extends the student's knowlege and awareness and which has higher expectations of the honors student than normally required of his or her class level or academic background. An honors designate course may be taken at any time during the baccalaureate program, but must be selected with the prior approval of the instructor and the student's honors program advisor, and with prior written agreement of the additional work that will be required of the student. Frequently, an entire class will be designated as "honors" section. An Honors Seminar, taken in the junior or senior year, is to serve as a capstone for the liberal arts component of the student's education. It provides an occasion for considering the varying ways in which the liberal arts disciplines impinge upon each other. Seminar topics are concerned with more than one liberal arts area, possibly combining, for example, biology and social science or humanities and social science. They bring into juxtaposition concepts or considerations that enhance or question each other, such as examining a period in history from many points of view. The Honors Senior Project is the culminating study in the student's major field. Usually done in the last year as a senior project, it offers the student an opportunity to do intensive study, writing, or research in his or her major or principal cognate field. Under certain circumstances, the topic may be interdisciplinary. Permission and expectations for the student will be arranged, in advance, jointly by Honors Program advisors, the course instructor, and the student. Students may withdraw from the Honors Program on their own initiative after notifying the director, in writing, of their intent to do so. Students who do not enroll in at least one Honors Program course per year or who do not maintain a 3.2 GPA per year are placed on probation: if the deficiency continues after the next following term of l4 enrollment, they will be dropped from the Honors Program. To be readmitted, students must apply to the director and remove the deficiency for which they were dropped. Students wishing to participate in the Honors Program who are not members, are encouraged to enroll in courses whenever possible. To ensure that such students are accommodated, the director will set aside a limited number of spaces in honors courses. Students must receive permission from the director before registering for courses. Spaces will be assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. All students will be expected to meet the high standards of regular Honors Program students in these courses. The preceding, rather lengthy description of a college honors program identifies a number of program features, requirements, and general institutional policies. Additionally, there are many perceptions one can formulate as the information is read and interpreted. Because of the vast inconsistencies in personal perceptions among individuals, generalizations cannot be stated. Nonetheless, both the reader and the presentor of the information previously presented tend to formulate concepts and images which set honors students apart from the average college student. Additional discussion of this phenomena will be explored in the following segment of this chapter. Additional citations from the literature focus on perceptual concepts of honors students, programs, and educational environments. "At most colleges, instructors who are interested in converting a course into an honors course must submit a proposal to the college honors committee, and/or their department for approval. Honors courses are taught by faculty as part of their regular course load. Usually, there are no financial awards or release time given for participation in an honors program". 15 "Mass education cannot give gifted students the kinds of intellectual experiences which they require and deserve". "It is erroneously assumed that the bright student does not need any help or encouragement to succeed. Enriching experiences that challenge gifted students not only improve the quality of their education,8 but also improve retention of these students". "When the Presidential Scholars arrived at Georgetown University on June 12, we were buzzing with energy. We were all a bit apprehensive at first, not knowing what to expect. I was a little worried about the other students, thinking that because the others were supposed to be "scholars" there would be 140 eggheads, all running around wearing thick glasses and reading encyclopedias. In truth,9 there is no way to describe the average scholar". ". . . nearly all of the colleges with formalized honors programs had initiated them in the past few years to accommodate the increasing number of students who could benefit from the programs, to strengthen the quality of the academic programs and the image of the collegs, and to attract and retain outstanding students". The preceding comments emphasize the wide variety of perceptions associated with honors students and honors programs. These comments lead the discussion in this chapter to a further understanding of behavior, motivation, and perception. o v t e e 0 An ethnographic analysis of college honors programs could not be fully explained without an adequate understanding of individual behavior, motivation, and perception. Many colleges offer honors programs, and many students and professors participate in honors programs. 16 While academic excellence and rigor are frequently cited as rationale, a deeper, more basic question is "Why do students and professors participate" and "Why do colleges offer the programs"? Kast and Rosenzweig (1979) state that behavior is a manner of acting: it refers to a person's conduct. Behavioral patterns are modes of conduct used by an individual in carrying out activities. Life activities play an important role in modifying the psychological system and shaping behavior patterns. The general relationships involved can be expressed in the equation: Behavior = (Personality, Environment)11 But behavior and personality are both complex phenomena that must be related to a specific person in order to understand and/or predict behavior. An attempt to develop a scientific model identifying typical behavior of honors students could be very difficult, at best. Nonetheless, academicians must be cognizant of the impact the collegial environment has, and its consequential effect, on behavior. In analyzing or comparing personalities, authorities usually look at general dimensions such as depth, richness, or integration. Some people have deep beliefs or relationships based on intense experiences. For an honors student, this could consist of always being a "smart student". Some people have wide interests and complex values based on a variety of experiences. Other people's interests are more narrow. Some people "have it all 17 together": the various facets of their personalities are woven together in a consistent pattern. Others are more fragmented; they are ”at loose ends".12 In applying these principles to honors programs and their participants, it would be difficult to develop any conclusive generalizations about personalities of the participants. Even if causal correlative comparisons could be developed, it still would not tell us what goes on in an honors program. How do students translate the stimuli presented in an honors class into appropriate effort, behavior, and performance? Exhibit 1 (Wallace and Szilagyi, 1982) illustrates and answers this question. Honors students do this through the psychological factors of perception, learning, personality, abilities/skills, and motives. It is critical to distinguish between those factors withig the box and those on s the box. Perception, learning, personality, motives, and abilities/skills intervene between environmental events (cues and stimuli) and observable effort, behavior, and performance. The behavior of an honors student, like other students, is external, and therefore can be observed by others. Additionally, an honors student's performance is tangible and can be recorded and evaluated by professors. Similarly, enrivonmental events are external and can be objectively observed. In contrast, the psychological factors of perception, learning, personality, and motives exist within a student's mind. As such they cannot be objectively seen or measured. 18 In fact, educators must rely on theories and guesses about these factors rather than on direct observation when trying to influence behavior and performance.13 EXHIBIT 1. Model of Individual Behavior and Performance Sti-ult (cues and —) Perception fl Learning --) Permlity —) Motive. —) Effort -) Behavior noun) ,N l :I i . . ”111:1“ Performance $11.11. tennis and [Valuation Where does all of this behavior and performance discussion fit in a study of college honors programs? The literature of higher education describing honors programs and students tends to make generalizations about behavior and performance which may, or may not, be consistent with the findings of this study. Yet, without a contrasting view of behavior, one may find it very easy to develOp perceptions about honors programs, perhaps with little substantiation. A second issue presented in this chapter is the phenomena of motivation. According to Chruden and Sherman (1984), the term motivation originally was derived from the Latin word "movere" which means "to move". While a number of definitions of it are to be found in the current 19 literature, there is no one definition that describes motivation adequately. An analysis of major definitions indicates that motivation is primarily concerned with three factors: what energizes behavior, what directs or channels such behavior, and how this behavior is maintained or sustained. According to Steers and Porter (1983), each of these components of motivation is important to our understanding of human behavior.14 How do these motivational principles relate to a better understanding of college honors students? While motivation may be difficult to quantifiably measure, it is frequently mentioned as one of the most significant characteristics of honors students (Piland and Azbell, 1984). Frederick Herzberg argues that people have a "higher level" set of needs. These needs relate to human characterisitics: the ability to achieve, and to experience psychological growth. Included in Herzberg's theory are the needs to achieve a difficult task, to obtain prestige, and to receive recognition.15 According to the literature, many college honors programs address these needs. Herzberg has carried out studies to more precisely determine what people want and what motivates them. According to his findings, factors that lead to satisfaction and motivation (the motivators) are different from those that lead to dissatisfaction (the hygienes). While Herzberg was focusing on employees in the corporate environment in the study, honors students, faculty, and program directors all identify the same factors in describing motivation, as 20 the literature reports. The following exhibit illustrates Herzberg's motivational theory.16 EXHIBIT 2. Hetzbetg's Motivational—Hygiene Findings H 13 is H -EJ_+ 4 . :i “i if} 5 Mealtime-0N -mmmum ”WWW“. L l i 1 I n LJL—‘UL’DU L t) Literature references (Friedlander, 1983 and Piland and Azbell, 1984) frequently describe honors programs, honors students, and honors professors using the same factors identified by Herzberg: achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth. The significance of the preceding discussion of motivation will be enhanced in a later chapter of this study. The third component of this chapter focuses on the understanding of "perception". Perception is basic to understanding behavior because it is the means by which 21 stimuli affect an individual. A stimulus that is not perceived has no effect on behavior. A review of the descriptions of college honors programs presented earlier in this study has a tendancy to influence the perceptions of the reader. What does one think about when reading these descriptions? How does one perceive these programs? These questions will also be addressed in a later chapter of this study. Another key is that people behave on the basis of "what is perceived" rather than "what is". Kast and Rosenzweig (1979) state that "a direct line to truth is often assumed, but each person really has only one point of view, based on individualistic perceptions of the real world. Some considerations can be verified in order that several or many individuals can agree on a consistent set of facts. However, in most real-life situations many conditions are not verifiable and are heavily value laden. Even when facts are established, their meaning or significance may vary considerably for different individuals.17 Many of these concepts can be applied to honors students, professors, program directors, and indeed the institution itself. Statements contained in the literature (Day, 1982 and Piland, 1984) attempt to verify quantified data about honors students, while indeed there may be heavy elements of values included in the descriptions. Exhibit 3 is a model of the way perceptions are formed and hence influence individual behavior. Numerous external 22 forces such as stress of the situation, group pressure, and reward systems are involved. Past experience has a direct influence on the interpretation of stimuli. Several basic processes (mechanisms) of perception formation can be identified - selectivity, closure, and interpretation. The external forces identified in the exhibit, will be further explained and evaluated in a future chapter of this study. The focus of these forces will be on the application of these phenomena as they relate to honors students. EXHIBIT 3. Perception Formation and itefiEffect on Behavior Pan "out“! Mechansms ol patent-on Ion“; I :0" R ———— o- l\ ’ ‘ \/ ‘ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ BEHAvuOn PERCEPTION FORMATION Sun: (”000 mutate omeucuon “on “than“ Q'OUO! quan-lalnonol common and .oo [“1 ’1 ”1‘“1 “1"T-‘i Rev-rota "Hem 23 In summarizing the information contained in this chapter, behavior, motivation, and perception were explained and associated with college honors programs. The purpose was to present information which both enhanced and contrasted the findings presented in the literature review. In so doing, a broader perspective of psychological factors should enable the reader to raise questions which may lead to further intellectual inquiry. Kast and Rosenzweig (1979) argue that individual behavior and motivation are fundamental parts of the psychosocial system of organizations, of which a college honors program is part. Individuals are similar in that all behavior is caused, motivated, and goal oriented.18 The review presented in this chapter served as a broad background in identifying questions which need to be addressed in understanding what goes on in college honors programs. CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Introduction An ethnographically-based research study is one in which qualitative data, rather than quantitative data, is collected and analyzed. There is still a basic need to support certain detail with "numbers", or quantification. However, the major focus is on the comments, reactions, and interactions of people. These people represent the "cast of characters" in college honors programs. An important element in an ethnographic study is the formulation of triangulation data. In this sense, triangulation consists of the measurements of the elements necessary to determine the network which may exist between the parts of the whole. It is anticipated that the triangulation utilized in this study will provide a position between the various fixed points of each of the parts. Triangulation is necessary to substantiate the data which will be presented in the following chapter. As previously mentioned in the delimitation statement, the research population consists of eleven colleges in the Western and Central Michigan area. These colleges were selected because they either have honors programs, or are considering beginning one. The colleges participating in this study are: 1. Michigan State University 1 24 25 2. Western Michigan University 3. Central Michigan University 4. Calvin College 5. Lansing Community College 6. Andrews University 7. Hillsdale College 8. Alma College 9. Albion College 10. Davenport College 11. Grand Valley State College The honors program directors at each of the previously mentioned institutions were interviewed and asked to respond to a survey. Non-honors students at one of the colleges were asked to respond to a survey. Additionally, one of the colleges was selected as a site to conduct field research, which consisted of observing an honors class for three months and surveying both the students and the professors. Samples of all the questionnaires are included in the appendix of this study. The remainder of this chapter is organized into the following areas: assertions, description of the field site, interviews and surveys. ss s According to Webster, an assertion implies a confident statement which needs no proof or regard for evidence. This is not the intent in this study. Assertions were developed 26 to lead and direct the research. The assertions were developed by compiling the general themes presented in the literature review and by compiling and extrapolating the descriptions of honors programs in college catalogues. Therefore, the following assertions are not necessarily a statement of fact nor are they intended to challenge a position. Before the assertions are presented, a brief review of the college catalogues will serve as a foundation by which to base the statements. A rather extensive collection of current college catalogues, including all 101 colleges in Michigan were reviewed to determine if the college offered an honors program, and, if they did, to compile some descriptive details. A compilation of program descriptions of those colleges participating in such a program parallels the following description: The Honors Program is an academic program expressly designed to enable superior students to realize full potential by providing opportunities for learning and development which are often not available apart from the Honors Program. The program provides a stimulating academic climate, thereby extolling the value of excellence. Using the above summary and the common themes of the literature, the following assertions were formulated: l. Honors students respond to the rigor and challenge of the program. 2. Honors students, classes, and professors are perceived differently outside the classroom than what really takes place in the classroom. 27 3. College honors curricula is designed to challenge and provoke exceptional students and foster the development of students' reasoning, inference capabilities, judgemental skills and abilities. 4. Honors college professors are challenging, and tend to provoke exceptional (students with rigorous intellectual discourse. 5. Honors students respond to the rigor of the curriculum by questioning and even challenging their professors. 6. The quality of instruction that takes place in honors classes is superior. 7. Students eagerly accept the responsibilities of the challenges presented to them. The preceding assertions served not only to provide a basis of continued research, but also as a foundation for identifying the appropriate questions which should be included in the surveys which were conducted. s t d 't There are over three thousand institutions of higher education in America. Hundreds of these institutions have bona-fide honors programs. Where should field research be conducted? Several parameters were identified which inevitably led to the site selection. Included in the deliberations were the following considerations: 1. Geographic proximity of the researcher. 2. Access to the field site. 3. A quality honors program as perceived by the researcher and the academic community. 28 4. An institution which was somewhat "typical", in that demographically, vast numbers of students were not denied normal admission because of cost, extreme entrance qualifications, or social elitism. Because of the nature of research being conducted, random samplings were not very significant in this study. The analysis of perceptions in this focus is of qualitative data rather than qUantitative data. Consistent within the parameters previously identified, Michigan was selected as the ideal state in which to conduct research. Michigan boasts one hundred-one colleges, catagorized as follows: 15 State Colleges and Universities 29 Community and Junior Colleges 57 Private, Tecgaical, Religious, and Vocational Institutions One of the fifteen state institutions of higher education, was chosen as the ideal site to conduct the field research. The institution is a four-year public college, offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Several college programs are also accredited by various agencies and associations. Located in the Central/Western Michigan area, the college is situated on a beautiful 800 acre campus. Enrollment is approximately 7,000 students. There are over 200 faculty, and a support staff of nearly 350. There are two 15 week semesters and a Summer session in the academic 29 year. The library boasts over 350,000 volumes. Field research was conducted in the college of Arts and Humanities. Approximately 1,000 students are pursuing various degrees in the Arts and Humanities division of the college. Inclusive are degree programs in communications, art and design, English, foreign languages, history, music, and philosophy. Seventeen students from ten different degree programs enrolled in the class which was selected for field research. The class was entitled "Honors Humanities II". Five professors utilized a "team teaching" approach, incorporating philosophy, history, art, and literature of the early Greek and Roman Empire are. Students earned credit towards their humanities distribution requirements by enrolling in this class. The class was a continuation of "Honors Humanities I" which began in the Fall Term of 1984. By taking both classes in the sequence, students satisfied all their Humanities requirements. By design, this was one of the benefits of the Honors Program at the college. The class met three times per week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. Observation was conducted during the Winter Term, January through April. The 14 female and 3 male students were all enrolled in the college's honors program. W One question which lead in the development of the surveys which were conducted was "What happens in a college 30 honors program"? Using literature references as a guide, and the assertion previously identified, which, in most cases supported the general theme of academic excellence within college honors programs, survey questions were "roughly" conceptualized. After several classroom observation sessions and both formal and informal interviews with the participants of the class, both students and professors, the original assertions and the rough first draft survey questions were refined. New survey questions were then formulated, reflecting the classroom observation experiences and interactions Honors Program Director Survey Review There are one hundred-one colleges in the State of Michigan. Less than twenty have a bona-fide honors program. Eleven colleges with honors programs are located in the Central and Western Michigan areas. Using college catalogues for personal reference, the directors of the honors programs at all eleven colleges were contacted by telephone and informally interviewed. A personal visit to each of the campuses followed, and the directors were asked to respond to a questionnaire. The survey along with a self addressed postage paid envelope was left with the directors. A response was requested within two weeks. Eight responses were received. The questions developed for this study were designed to focus attention on descriptive detail rather than to 31 prepare causal-correlative statistical data, which will be provided by secondary support data. The directors responded to several broad catagories of perceptions. The questions included: 1. Perceived characteristics of "typical" honors students. 2. Differences between honors and non-honors students. 3. Teaching methodologies and curriculum rigor. 4. Program benefits and cost justification. 5. Rationale for the continuation of the honors program. A sample survey is included in the appendices. College Honors Student Survey Review The student participant survey was prepared after approximately two months of classroom observation. Thirteen open ended question based on feelings and perceptions were distributed to the seventeen students in the class. All but four surveys were picked up at the following class meeting. Students were asked to respond to a number of perceptual questions, including: 1. Perceptions of and by instructors. 2. Perceptions of and by fellow honors students. 3. Perceptions of and by non-honors students. 4. Interactions outside of class. 5. Expected benefits. 6. Behavior model pressure. 32 7. Admission and participation in the program. 8. General commentary about the program. A sample survey is included in the appendices. College Non-Honors Student Survey Review A compilation of surveys conducted with honors student participants and honors program directors along with classroom observations served as a framework for developing the third survey in the triangulation process. A non-honors college literature course was surveyed. The seventy students were given the surveys at the beginning of the class period and asked to return them at the end of the same class period. All seventy students responded. Questions asked included: 1. Perceptions of and by instructors. 2. Perceptions of and by fellow students. 3. Perceptions of and by non-college friends. 4. Expected benefits of a college education. 5. Behavior model pressures. 6. General commentary about college. A sample survey is included in the appendices. Honors Professors Survey Review After approximately two months of observation at the field site, a survey was prepared for the five professors teaching the course. The questions were formulated in response to the classroom interactions, informal comments of 33 the professors, and the assertions previously presented. The questions included: 1. Comments about teaching methodologies in an honors class. Comments with respect to participation in the honors program. Perceptions of honors students. Perceptual differences between honors and non-honors students. Rationale for the continuation of the program. A sample survey is included in the apendices. CHAPTER IV PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA Imttoduction ”College honors students are typically the most talented, most motivated, most creative, and brightest students, generally having a high level of energy devoted to academic pursuits. They are outgoing, confident of their abilities, and very career oriented." Honors Program Director Survey April, 1985 "Our University developed an honors program to provide an academic environment that can provide a challenge commensurate with the potential of the University's brightest, most talented, most highly motivated, and creative undergraduate students. We make manifest a formal and highly visible commitment to the advancement and transmission of knowledge and the preparation of leaders for all segments of our society." Honors Program Director Survey April, 1985 Literature collected on the topic of college honors programs consistently supports the value of initiating and continuing the programs. This chapter will focus on the responses of the survey participants, a summary of the field site research, testing and analysis of the assertions, and an analysis of the key linkages. a o u e es 0 s The various surveys conducted in this study were collected and reviewed. While not every response in each category of survey is presented in the following summary, care has been taken to present a fair overall theme in the .34 35 patterns which emerged. Every attempt was taken to insure that data was not manipulated to satisfy any underlying bias or hunch leading this study. The surveys are organized into the following presentations: Honors Program Directors, Honors Program Professors, Honors Students, and Non-Honors Students. Honors Program Directors "Honors is one of the most active social clubs on campus, meeting several times a quarter as well as a major activity - banquet, symposium, etc." "Students enroll in our honors program because of scholastic interests." "Honors classes are usually well attended, and students seem to take to individual responsibility for independent readings and research quite well on the whole." "Honors classes are usually not demanding more work as much as different types of work." "Teachers expect a higher level of competence and generally challenge the students to a greater extent." "Honors students have greater demonstrated intellectual talent, measured by ACT or SAT test scores, and the perception of alertness or keennees; otherwise honors students are not very visibly different from regular students." "While it is possible to assess potential, performance should be the criteria of an honors student." "Teaching methodologies are instrumental. The class is likely to be more interesting, and the excitement might have students saying the course is easier, when what they are really saying is that it is more enjoyable. What works for learning is right (teaching methodology)." "Participants are labeled as honors students and honors graduates. These labels have practical value - sometimes too much (in lieu of educational 36 value)." "Special teaching strategies are addressed to special clients. Furthermore, an honors program brings prestige to the institution and attracts superior students." "Contrary to common assumption, honors students are not the "greasy grind" type, but are interested and involved in all kinds of activities (i.e. college newspaper, yearbook, etc.)." ”An honors student should not do three to four times as much work, but should do different kinds of work in different ways." Honors Program Professors "Writing is very much stressed." "The real motivation is grades, and it is a neat package for students to get their humanities distribution out of the way." "I've been a little disappointed with their intellectual motivation. Students are taking the class more for convenience than anything else." "Honors classes are not harder, just deeper and more challenging." "Students take this class to get their humanities distribution out of the way. But we also want to push these students. Most of the students went through high school with a B+ to A average and never cracked a book. We're interested in changing that." "We use a team-teach approach because otherwise students would get bored. So we teach history for an hour, art, philosophy, and literature. It's a six hour a week class." Honors Students "I enrolled becaused the college sent me a letter of invitation. I like the challenge. I plan to transfer to a State University to study medicine. I want to be in their honors program too." "I was recruited by one of the teachers. My real 37 motivation is the easy completion of the humanities distribution requirements." "As an honors student, I feel I'm reaching my full potential." "Two lectures in a row gets to be too long--and boring." "Hopefully, I'll be able to show prospective employers that I'm willing to be challenged." "I feel that nearly everyone could pass the program if they kept up with the homework. I don't feel other students are less smart than me." "When I tell my friends I'm an honors student, they usually say 'You?!'. You must be really smart." "Being an honors student means that I am a higher achiever, one that strives for better than average--the best I can do." "Non-honors students are really no different from myself." "I think people outside the program perceive me as a genius, or smart bookworm." "Being an honors student has assured me that all the hard work I did in high school was worthwhile." ”A lot of outsiders say things like 'Gosh, a smart one here, eh?‘ They expect me to be studying all the time. Honors students are just like other people as far as behavior and morals. Everyone varies, it just depends on the person." "Outside the classroom, we (honors students) often complain to each other about the excessive amount of reading, or we talk about whatever it is we are studying at the time and help each other understand it more." "I think of non-honors students as equals. As far as I'm concerned, there is no real difference." "I often feel threatened that other honors students are smarter than I am. I'm often envious of them and their ideas. I'm a very competitive person at heart and think this has something to do with my feelings towards peers." "I think my instructors need more experience in conducting an honors college." 38 "I perceive my instructors as average instructors." "I think that the instructors look at me as a student, there to learn more than I already know. I feel they are average professors, doing a better than average job." (Note: This student was a freshman, undeclared major, and possessed a cumulative GPA of 2.4). Non-Honors Students "Being a college student means taking on more responsibility than I had in high school." "As a college graduate, I hope to be able to get a better job than average high school graduates. I also hope to become more knowledgeable through the instructor's experience as well as my own." "I think my non-college friends are envious of me because in the end I'll have a better job than they will." ”My real motivation is money! I am in college for the reason of getting a good job and making quite a bit of money." "I like the challenge of being a college student and I won't quit until I feel satisfied." "My instructor is great! He understands me, considers my personal values, and encourages me to learn and grow." "I perceive my friends who don't attend college as unhappy, unsuccessful, and dependent on others." "My non-college friends perceive me as outgoing, ambitious, and successful." ”I look at my instructor with great admiration. He's taught me a lot." I consider myself an achiever! I will finish all things that I do, even if I do not accomplish the whole task." "I perceive my instructor as an every day person who is able to communicate on the same level as the student, yet can still return to his intelligence." 39 o eld S te Research As previously mentioned, research was conducted in an honors‘ class entitled "Honors Humanities II" at one of the State Colleges in the Central/Western Michigan area. The class was "team taught" by five professors, and the subjects included literature, philosophy, history, and art focusing on the early Greek era. The class met three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 1:00 to 3:00. A review of research conducted within the last year by Piland and Azbell identifies the following characterisitcs of college honors students: e so a Female 63% Male 37% Age - 18 years old 60% White, Non-Hispanic 79% H r St e C ara te s cs 86% This is the first college they attended 41% Enroll in 12-15 semester hours 44% Enroll in 15 or more semester hours 82% Attend class only during the day 31% Work more than 20 hours per week 64% Will maintain 3.6 to 4.0 GPA Ptgtiie of High Schogi Honors Candidates 56% Participate in one to three extracurricular activities 55% Maintain a 3.6 to 4.0 GPA 52% Enroll in four full years of math 61% Enroll in three full years of science 73% Enroll in four full years of English 45% Graduate in the upper 5% of their class 61% Score from 26 to 30 on the ACT 40 The preceding data was included in this portion of the study to give the reader a sense of typicality of honors student characteristics. The characteristics of the students observed in the field site closely parallel these statistics. Major differences were in the personal data: Female 82% Male 18% Age - 18 years old 76% White, Non-Hispanic 100% A characteristic missing from the data is motivation. While motivation may be difficult to quantifiably measure, it is frequently mentioned in the literature as one of the most significant characteristics of honors students. As previously reported, Honors College Program Directors all identified motivation as one of the key characteristics of honors students. This issue will be explored further at a later point in this chapter as well as in the following chapter. Exhibit 4 illustrates the layout of the room in which the honors class was conducted. Numerical identification has been given to the seventeen students, who nearly always sat in the same seats week after week. The "X's" represent empty seats while the "T's" represent the seats taken by the four non-participating professors. The "T" marked at the side of the front table is generally where the current "active" professor stood during the lecture. The researcher sat at the location marked "me" at the rear side of the room 0 41 EXHIBIT 4. Room Layout Chalkboard ‘P Movie Screen C3 9 'J‘ ~09 Overhead d v ' o. 9 fly 6‘ 4 T [ Tablea/lecturu gj T 1 2 (g a a T 3 4 S 6 7 91 I 8 9 10 11 12 X T 13 14 15 16 17 X Ha The layout of the room was rather traditional, in that the set-up was patterned after the normal lecture method of classroom presentation. One of the common characteristics frequently mentioned in the literature is the volume and depth of questions asked by honors students. During the three months of field research in the honors class, twenty-six questions were asked by ten of the seventeen students. The following exhibit identifies the student (numerically identified earlier), topic, and frequency of questions and responses. EXHIBIT 5. Student Responseleuestions LII. PHIL. BISI. ARI. LII. PHIL. HIST. A11. 1 10 2 L 1 1 3 11 1 3 1 12 2 1 2 1 4 1 13 1 5 l 1 2 14 6 15 7 1 16 8 1 17 1 9 42 The preceding exhibit does not necessarily suggest all honors students respond with similar frequency or infrequency. It does, however, accurately portray the student/teacher interaction in the class which was observed. Thorough details of the interactions which occured during the classroom observation period are explained in the following section of this chapter. The details are framed in reference to the assertions identified in an earlier chapter of this study. st a An s s 0 ss ons The literature of higher education contains research which quantifies information about college honors programs. Personal demographics, academic profiles, student characteristics, and perceptions have been surveyed and statistically presented to the educational community. But what really happens in the classroom? What do people THINK happens in an honors section? HONORS STUDENTS, CLASSES, AND PROFESSORS ARE PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM THAN WHAT REALLY TAKES PLACE IN THE CLASSROOM. What does one think about when developing personal perceptions of college honors programs? Is the classroom "collegial": is there an abundance of professional interaction: do students and professors boast awesome vocabularies? These are some of the common perceptions indicated, not only in the literature, but also frequently mentioned in informal interviews conducted with "outsiders" 43 consisting of non-honors instructors and non-honors students. Most of the non-honors students surveyed indicated they perceive their instructor as ”an instructor". The instructor expects college work from a college student. Students feel this is a good quality. Additionally, the non-honors students believe their instructor is a reasonably "nice" individual, bright, and one who cares about the student's education. A common perception in the non-honors student survey is one of respect for the instructor's abilities and wisdom. When asked how their non-college friends perceive non- honors college students, the response commonly indicated ”with pride, respect, and admiration". The non-honors students also stated that most of their non-college friends perceive them as individuals - no better or worse than any other individual. Students in the honors class were surveyed with a variety of questions pertaining to perceptions. Almost without exception the honors students viewed non-honors college students as equals - no real differences. However, when asked how they think non-honors college students perceive them, the honors students expressed concerns of "snobishness, being eggheads, brains, or a know-it-all". Additionally, when asked how honors students perceive other honors students, they responded by nearly unanimously stating "as very intelligent, and equal to me". The preceding comments represent inconsistencies which will be 44 addressed later in this study. Honors students perceive their instructors as average instructors doing an average job. They are learned in their fields. They respect the professor's knowledge and wisdom. The honors program directors who participated in the survey indicated the instructors in the honors program were superior teachers. Additionally, the directors believe the instructors develop a one-to-one relationship with students. Faculty are encouraged to treat honors students as fellows, rather than students. Research conducted at the field site indicates that students appear "normal", and respond to the challenge of the program somewhat normally. During three months of observation, only twenty-six questions or responses occured. The professors the instructors always referred to one another as "professor" and only twice recognized a student by their first name. A personal perception of the researcher, developed while first conceptualizing honors programs, focused on how different the classroom environment must be. In fact, the honors directors identified classroom environment "different" - small sections, seminars, colloquia - rather than the typical straight lecture type of classroom. However, the classroom layout previously illustrated appears to be geared more for lecture than any other method of instruction. In conclusion of this segment of the study, an appropriate question is "Why do students enroll in honors programs"? Honors program directors feel the reason is 45 primarily because of scholastic interest. Graduating with honors, prestige, competitive advantage, and the accomplishment. Honors student surveys are very consistent with the perceptions of the honors directors. Research previously conducted by Piland and Azbell indicates the following student perceptions of college honors programs: tu n ce one o Hono s 0 ram Advanta es 77% More challenge 62% Scholarship 91% Research opportunities 82% Special privileges 31% Banquets 19% Social activities St nt er tions 0 ono s P o ra sadvanta 38% Less time for other activities 35% High self-expectations 22 22% High faculty expectations In concluding this segment of the study, there are a number of inconsistencies, not only between the secondary and primary research data, but also within the responses presented in the primary research findings. These inconsistencies will be addressed in the concluding chapter of the study. The following component of this section of the study focuses on the challenge of the curricula. A perception developed by the researcher by reviewing the literature on honors programs is one of academic challenge. A class designed to meet the capabilities of superior students and delivered by superior academicians must include "rigor". 46 COLLEGE HONORS CURRICULA IS DESIGNED TO CHALLENGE AND PROVOKE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS AND FOSTER THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS' REASONING, INFERENCE CAPABILITIES, JUDGEMENTAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES. Honors program directors believe their programs are usually not more demanding, rather, the focus is on different types of work. The presumption is that if a course is populated by a group of talented students and is directed by a superior teacher, the dynamics of the class will surely be more lively, exhuberant, and intense. The directors believe their programs are designed to promote accelerated individual development, increased self directed study, and to allow students to work with advanced texts and other materials. Field research as well as student surveys tend to support the perceptions of the honors directors. Nearly all of the survey participants expressed the significance of a focus on the personal growth of students. What do the participants mean by "personal growth"? Does this indicate interpersonal maturity or vocal communications with others? The perceptions identified by the survey participants are inconsistent in addressing this question. Exhibit 6 represents a visual conceptualization of a compilation of commentary and observation of curricula challenge. Some of the commentary has already been presented, while other statements (especially some of the quotes) will be explained later in this chapter of the study. 47 EXHIBIT 6. Perceptual Comparison of Curricula Challenge and Classroom Interaction r ..... ' I “finUMuuuuuulnfldy-unnud I ' learners spark a special atnospbere I 1 where inportant questions arise at | “Students want to participate” I "Students interested in : l- fulfilling distribution 1 ' hours." I I . I | I I I I ”Participation is in satisfying sophisticated and I I Mostly interested ' I ”Most honors students I I -.--.-4 distribution never erected book in intense" require-ants. .- high school: we. work L. ........ .J . than hard to change 'More work is L‘i - g that.” the answer. Different L_ ___________ _I kinda of work in . different ways“ "Danonstratioe of intelligence" I. I I I I I I I I L..-_.- The Perceptual Comparison Exhibit illustrates how honors program directors perceive classroom interaction, how the college catalogue expands on that perception by communicating near axioms to the readers, and how the students and faculty react. The reaction at the field site was for students to read and research, rather than verbalize in class. The professors at the field site focused on the goals of research and reading. As previously stated, 91% of all honors students perceive research as an integral part of a college honors program. Yet, most of the literature sources, college catalogues, and honors program directors insist that honors students ask important questions at every turn. This inconsistency will be addressed in the next chapter of this study. The next section of this discussion is based on the 48 formulation of an assertion which addresses the concept of superior quality of classroom instruction. The assertion was developed and refined in response to literature statements and experiences during classroom observation periods. ALTHOUGH MANY ARTICLES DESCRIBE HONORS COLLEGE PROFESSORS AS CHALLENGING, AND TEND TO PROVOKE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS WITH RIGOROUS INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE, OFTEN TIMES THE PROFESSORS OBSERVED AT THE FIELD SITE READ DIRECTLY FROM THE TEXT WHILE LECTURING. The forthcoming episode occured between 2:30 and 2:40 p.m. on January 30, 1985. The topic centers of the Greek Legend of Aristophanes, and the date of the story is approximately 250 B.C. It's only twenty minutes before class dismisses, and the 17 students in attendance are beginning to shuffle their feet anxiously. The story is in process as the professor says "they bought a couple of birds. One was a Jack-Daw and the other one was - - - (fidgeting, he reaches for his book. He stalls. a young women in the back row whispers "Raven") - - - a Raven", proudly proclaims the professor, after what seemed to be two minutes of silence. Slowly, the professor begins to pace back and forth in front of the class, and as he clears his throat, he begins again "Aristotle - - - I mean Aristophanes (two students in the rear of the room giggle) - - - Well, eh, let's look at the cast of characters, just who is who, on page 163". The professor starts talking about several more Greek Heroes, 49 but then apologizes for not pronouncing their names correctly. Reading directly from the book while slightly shifting slowly back and forth as he stands in front of the desk, the professor attempts to explain and describe some of the Greek Gods. "What don't Gods get" asks the professor? "Libations" quickly responds one student. "Cuckoo Land stops smoke and sacrifices from rising up so even the Gods are begging for food" reads the professor. Several students are writing in their books, rather than their note pads. The preceding episode was not all that unusual in this class. There were many such episodes. The intent of this vignette is not to suggest that all honors classes experience the same phenomena. Nonetheless, it did occur frequently, yet the literature tends to laud the classroom environment rather than indicate that classes are not always "action-packed". The following assertion and supporting detail addresses the issue of "active participation" of students and the "rigor" of the presentations. WHILE RESEARCH INDICATES HONORS STUDENTS RESPOND TO THE RIGOR OF THE CURRICULUM BY QUESTIONING AND EVEN CHALLENGING THEIR PROFESSORS, OFTEN TIMES THE STUDENTS OBSERVED IN THE FIELD SITE DID NOT ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE, NOR WAS THE PRESENTATION ”RIGOROUS". The following episode occured between 1:30 and 2:50 p.m. on February 13, 1985. Students are often distracted as other students shuffle down the hall, past the open classroom door. A female student sitting near the rear of 50 the room is taking occasional notes, with a pencil, on a half sheet (torn) of loose paper. Suddenly, she breaks into playing squeeky tunes on the floor with her rubber shoes. Two students on the other side of the room stand up and change seats. Two women in the center of class are carrying on a lengthy personal discussion. Two other students in the third row are "wildly" moving their legs back and forth. The student sitting nearest the door in the very front row is staring out into the hallway. Back to the rubber shoe tune squeeker--she has begun a mini-conversation with the student next to her. Suddenly she breaks into another tune, this time tapping with her pencil on the desk. After 20 seconds, she starts staring out the door, making funny faces, then resumes the tap dancing. She stops after another minute and starts pouring through the syllabus. A male student in the middle of the rear row has his arms folded--not taking any notes at all. The preceding episodes do met suggest that all honors classes typify the behavior of these episodes. In fact, the class which was observed was not always characterized with the behavior described in the episodes, but there were many such similar incidences during the two months of field research. The literature on higher education contains a wealth of advice on how to teach better. Yet important questions about instruction are often left unanswered: "What sparks motivation to learn"? "What tools and techniques promote 51 meaningful learning and strengthen memory"? Teaching is the primary mission of a college, and whatever else might be said or done by way of educational reform, how well teachers do their jobs is absolutely basic. The demands on instruction change as society modifies and expands what it expects from higher education, as new resources for teaching become available, and as the criteria for evaluating the quality of instruction are sharpened. There is no consensus model of the ideal teacher, and the instructional diversity seen on college campuses is a clear reminder that the individual teacher is the cook in charge of the kitchen.23 The literature of higher education that describes college honors programs often refers to the high quality of instruction. Honors program directors who were surveyed indicated that the teachers were "superior educators". What constitutes "superior" teaching? WHILE MANY ARTICLES LAUD THE SUPERIOR QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN HONORS CLASSES, MANY EPISODES OBSERVED DURING FIELD RESEARCH DID NOT FIT THE DESCRIPTIONS OF SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION, AS ENVISIONED AND ARTICULATED BY THE AUTHORS OF THE ARTICLES. The following episode took place on January 30, 1985 between 1:00 and 1:55 p.m. Today's class session focusing on philosphy has just begun. The instructor tells the students to turn to page 236 in the book (Aristole's Theory of the Soul). The professor begins explaining the page and writes a diagram on the chalkboard at the same time. There were no questions raised by the students. The lecture topic 52 was about the pure form of God in the universe. The tone of the lecture is very soft and the pace is quite slow. Two students in the back are having a hard time staying awake--their heads are nodding. Suddenly, the student sitting next to me yawns out loud: her book falls off the desk, on to the floor. It's a half an hour into the lecture, and there are no questions asked yet. Three different minor conversations are going on between duos of students. A student sitting ahead of me has both hands in her pocket. She pulls her right hand out of her pocket and begins tapping her ankles. She isn't taking notes. The professor is leaning slightly against the table in the front of the room. His feet are crossed, left hand is positioned under his right arm pit, holding the book open with his right hand, he reads directly from the page. It's now 1:55 p.m.--time for a break. Not one question was asked during the past hour. Many such interactionless episodes occured during the two months of field research. HONORS PROGRAMS FOSTER STUDENTS' REASONING AND INFERENCE, AND DEVELOP THEIR JUDGMENTAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES. STUDENTS EAGERLY ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHALLENGES PRESENTED TO THEM. The assertion just identified represents compilations from several educational publications. Additionally, surveys conducted with honors program directors indicate honors students are given more responsibilities than non- honors students. 53 The following brief episode occured on February 6, 1985 at 2:00 p.m. The lead professor has just written the class schedule for the next week on the chalkboard. Reviewing the research notes, the professor has done this the two previous weeks as well. Additionally, the message written on the chalkboard is identical to the information provided on the course syllabus. The professor was questioned about the practice. ‘He explained that by re-writing the assignment on the board, there will be no mistake in understanding what's coming up next - even though it's exactly like the syllabus. This practice continued for the duration of the field observation. Amelysis of Key Linkeges A group may be referred to as an assemblage, cluster, or aggregation of persons considered to be related in some way or united by common ties or interests - family, recreation, occupation, and school cliques, for example. Small group dynamics is a fundamental aspect of human psychosocial systems.24 Care has to be exercised not to stereotype every college honors student. Nonetheless, the literature frequently indicates that affiliation with a group has an impact on an individual. Schatzman and Strauss state the most fundamental operation in the analysis of qualitative data is that of discovering significant classes of things, persons and 54 events, and the properties which characterize them. The classes are linked one with another, and through the analytical process, simple statements fall into "sets", in an ever-increasing density of linkages. Every class need not be linked to every other, although, as the analytical operation continues, a guiding metaphor or general scheme usually emerges. This metaphor becomes the Key Linkage--a model, general scheme, over- riding pattern, or "story line."25 The objective in conducting an analysis of college honors programs is the development of substantive theory. Schatzman and Strauss identify this theory as a "grounded key"--one that is both original and faithful to the data collected. For new grounded theory to be made evident, the metaphor or scheme must be clearly revealed. It then must be transformed into sociological language, which, though it relates the analyzed object or process to traditional formulations, nevertheless must establish its own identity.26 Being a college honors student represents a certain symbolism - an identification. Whether intentional or not, a group of honors students experience some degree of socialization, consequently, linkages are formulated. These linkages exist between and around honors students, honors professors, and honors directors. Exhibit 7 builds on the identification process by paralleling the concept of taking organizational roles. The nomenclature for this discussion is adapted from Katz and 55 Kahn (1978). They declare that the tendency of persons to choose roles and organizations that fit their needs and abilities is confounded with three other mechanisms that make for such goodness of fit: 1. Selection by others 2. Adaptation and socialization in the role 3. Role modification by the focal persons themselves EXHIBIT 7. The Taking of Organizational Roles _ I I : imi ’ I Hm ; I “a.” fl 3" U ' W M ‘unuhs an ; Mo ku s I n A X a V 2 C / Explanation of the Organizational Roles Figure Arrow #1 Relationship between role expectations and response. Arrow #2 Feedback effect of role behavior on the expectations of role senders. Arrow #3 Organizational factors as determinants of role expectations. Arrow #4 Personality factors as determinants of role expectations. Arrow #5 Properties of focal person as mediators between role expectations and response. 56 Arrow #6 Personality as affected by role behavior. Arrow #7 Significance of interpersonal relations in role taking. Boxes A-D and the connecting arrows l and 2 illustrates the role episode, and thus is at the core of the figure.28 A further discussion and application of this model is included in the final chapter of this report. What then is a role, and metaphorically, how can role be established in the analysis of college honors programs? Role is the building block of social systems and the summation of requirements with which such systems confront their members as individuals. Each person in an organization is linked to some set of other members by virtue of the functional requirements of the system that are heavily implemented through the expectations those members have of the person. With the communication of role expectations from role- set to focal person, the first half of the role episode is completed. The second half has to do with the perceptions and behavior of the focal person. He or she receives, with greater or lesser distortion, the role expectations sent. It is the received role that is the immediate source of influence and motivation of behavior. The focal person acts - he or she behaves in the role - showing some combination of compliance and non- compliance with the expectations of the role-set. The major focus of this chapter was on the responses of the survey participants, a summary of the field site 57 research, testing and analysis of the assertions, and an analysis of key linkages. Two significant concerns have emerged: inconsistencies between the literature on the topic and the observations included in the research analysis; growth of the identification process by those associated with honors programs. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS inttoduction The preceding chapters of this report represent only a small portion of the vast resource of data collected in this study. From the onset, the goal of this research project has been to focus on college honors programs in a very objective way. Even as events occured which would appear to be "obvious conclusions", every attempt was made to pet be conclusive during the gathering, sorting, and reporting of information. fiflflfléfii By design, this study has been directed toward the analysis of a college honors program of a State College, and the additional research of those associated with honors programs as well. Literature findings have been included to add a deeper perspective to the understanding of college honors programs. The scope of this study was met national, therefore, universal application and inference is not intended. With this framework in mind, and in keeping with the assertions made in chapter four, the following tentative conclusions have been identified: 1. College honors programs provide the challenge to encourage greater growth of exceptional students. 2. Institutions with honors programs are accorded additional recognition for their commitment to 58 59 enhance and promote quality. 3. Honors program participants assume intellectual/ social roles which parallel with the perception of being an honors program participant. 4. There are significant discrepencies between the perceptions associated with honors programs and the realities of "what's actually going on" in an honors class. The various categories of participants researched included honors students, honors directors, and non-honors students. Additional research was conducted observing an honors class, interviewing honors professors, reviewing college catalogues where honors programs existed, and reading the literature pertaining to college honors programs. A brief summary of the perceptions of the participants follows: 1. HQDQIE.§EB§§D§§3 Believe they are being challenged. Perceive themselves as above average, intelligent students. Perceive themselves as no different than average non-honors students. Perceive their professors as average, but admirable. Perceive the coursework as being harder than normal classes. 2. We: Believe their programs challenge exceptional students. Perceive honors students as "the cream of the crop". Perceive the program as "not harder, but different in the types of intellectual challenge". 60 Perceive honors professors as "their best professors". 3- WW: Believe they are being challenged. Perceive themselves as self-motivating individuals. Perceive themselves as no better than non- college friends. Perceive their professors as average, but admirable. Perceive the coursework as being challenging. DI§QQ§§IQH Perhaps the most significant finding in this project has been the inconsistent perceptions of participants and non-participants of college honors programs. Two examples of these inconsistencies appear in the preceding summary: 1. Honors students perceive themselves as above average, while at the same time they perceive themselves as no different than the average student. 2. Honors directors perceive the program as not being harder, but different in the types of intellectual challenge. However, honors students perceive the program as harder. Complicating the preceding two examples even further, observations at the field research site are not clearly consistent with either of the views presented. Information previously reported in this study substantiates this position. Kast and Rosenzweig state that perception is basic to understanding behavior, and people behave on the basis of 61 "what is perceived" rather than "what is".29 Individuals, including college honors participants, select information that is supportive and satisfying. They tend to ignore information that might be disturbing. "However bizare the behavior of men, tribes, or nations may appear to an outsider, to the men, to the tribes, to the nations their behaviar makes sense in terms of their own world views". Throughout the preceding discussion of inconsistency, there still appears to be an element of consistency in identifying motivation as a major characteristic of college honors students. Yet there remains some question about this characteristic, as well as others. Can it be assumed that non-honors college students are not motivated, or at least not as motivated as honors students? A group of seventy non-honors students responded to the question of motivation, vigorously stating that they were indeed motivated. Additionally, the non-honors students identified achievement, recognition, responsibility, and the intellectual challenge of the class as major factors of motivation. These descriptions parallel the descriptions often attached to honors students. How does one interpret the word "respond" (i.e. responding to the rigor of the curriculum)? Honors program directors were asked if honors students were responsive to the rigor of the curriculum, and if so, how? The directors identified superior grades, attendance, quality writing, independent reading, and the frequency and depth of intellectual questions as methods most often utilized by 62 honors students to respond to the challenge of the program. Honors students were not specifically asked to comment on their responsiveness. However, their surveys focused on the theme that they ete indeed honors students, they gig indeed enroll in the program, and they d9 respond to the challenge. The honors student survey indicated students responded to themselves as a way of proving they could do it. When asked how non-honors students respond to the challenges they faced, the common response was also "personal”. Responsiveness was associated with creativity, writing, thinking, understanding, and self expression. Little mention was made of vocal communication. If students respond to the rigor and challenge of a class in a personal manner, it becomes difficult to measure and analyze. How do we know if a class is challenging and motivating? How do we know if honors students respond more to challenge than non-honors students? How do we know if honors students wouldn't respond and learn as much in a traditional class? These questions, coupled with additional conclusive assertions form a basis for leading this study into the next segment of this chapter. QQEQLQfiIQNfi While the literature generally indicates that honors students "vocally" respond to the challenges presented to them in the class, the honors students participating in this 63 study were not outwardly motivated, rather, their response to challenge was mostly personal. If this conclusion is accurate, why do colleges even have honors programs, and why do students participate in the programs? Drawing from the resources of previous role-taking research, replicating and modifying the nomenclature, and incorporating the perceptual analysis of the primary research conducted in the field, with honors students, with honors professors, with honors directors, and with non- honors students, the following theoretical models illustrate the role-taking process of the "players" in a college honors program. EXHIBIT 8. Perceptual Class Hierarchy of College Honors Students THEORETICAL CLASS I "SUPERIORITT" HONORS GRADUATES -Perceived Added Value -Elite '-Inte11ectusl I SPECIAL CLASS "SELECTED AREAS OF INTEREST“ HONORS PROGRAMS -High Motivation ~SelfwActualization —Challenge Responsive COMMON CLASS "A COLLEGE EDUCATION. GENERALLY AVAILABLE TO HOST ANYONE IN SOCIETY" COLLEGE EDUCATION —Educated -Achievement -Successful -Career Advancement 64 Exhibit eight represents the researcher's conceptualization of perception associated with honors graduates, honors students, and traditional college students. A thorough explanation of the exhibit is provided in the following paragraphs. The exhibit itself is constructed to represent a "modified" pyramid. It represents perceptions of selectivity as one gravitates from the entry base to the very top. Most college students are part of the common class, i.e. just regular undergraduates. However, this in itself represents some perceptual benefits, especially to society. Obtaining a college education renders a graduate the fringe benefits of being educated, the recognition of achievement, the feeling of success, and the potential of career advancement. Not everyone in society chooses, or has the opportunity to choose a college education. However, it is generally available to most. The "common class" is not to be denied the fringe benefits of a college education and the accompanying perceptions thereto accorded. Phase two of the exhibit represents more than just going to college. Selected areas of interest have been identified which distinguish these "special class" students from "common class" students. Inclusive in the "special class" are graduate programs, professional programs, and honors programs. Students in this class are perceived by others - as well as themselves - as highly motivated, moving toward self-actualization of their capabilities, and responsive to challenge. While many of these perceptions 65 are similar to those of common class students, the fact that there are fewer "special class" students advances the levels of perception, especially by outsiders. Phase three of the exhibit represents a further reduction of selectivity, perhaps even approaching exclusiveness. The fringe benefit of being an honors graduate is accorded additional theoretical perception of value added, elitism, and intellectual achievement. The likelihood that honors graduates could excell to the maximum extent of their capacities without an honors program is very great, however, without the recognition of being an honors graduate, any of the perceived fringe benefits are diminished. To an extent, exhibit eight reflects and illustrates the perceptions of the participants in this study: honors professors, honors students, and non-honors students. It also parallels to the common theme of the literature written on the subject, as well as the rhetorical descriptions included in many college catalogues. There is still one inconsistency to address: college honors students perceive themselves as better than the average student, yet, they perceive non-honors students as equals. Exhibit nine addresses this inconsistency illustrating a theoretical transformation process. As society turns to higher education as a means of identifying and establishing the role-taking process, perceptions are manipulated, both by the individual and by the academic environment. As special classes are defined, such as honors programs, a 66 perceptual transformation occurs with college professors, students, and the institution itself. While the role set is the same, internal and external perceptions have indeed changed. 0 o : e o e Ta n Process of Qollege Hongrs Program Participants I ’- "" '— —' "'" \ / '\ / mmxmcu. \ / cuss \ / - IDEALISTIC \< / - rmasu \ \ / fl__T__-.V‘ \ \ / .' ASPIRATIONS ; \ / \. - _. .. _ .z \ 1 \ ./ , I . I cougar COLLEGE $311“! "um mm 0' u;:‘ 1 PROFESSOR STUDENT SPECIAL CLASS 'TKWOES' TRANSFORMATION L COLLEGE Teaching-—’ COLLEGE e—Requirements INSTITUTigggL . PROFESSOR e—-Leerning STUDENT Submission-—+' ORGANIZA T CDMMON