Volume 32 Index Journal of American Indian Education-Arizona State University

Volume 32 1992 Contents

Issue 1 October 1992
- INSERVICE ACTIVITY THAT EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CULTURE IN TEACHING SCHOOL SCIENCE
  Gerry Haukoos; Dorothy LeBeau [pp. 1-11]
  While changes have been occurring in science and science teaching across the continent, there is little evidence that culture and science are being integrated to better serve non-European Americans. This is a report that demonstrates an attempt to integrate science and culture at the Math and Science Institute for teachers of American Indian children sponsored by the Office of Indian Education Programs. One hundred and fifty-four teachers from 23 American Indian nations participated in an institute that emphasized (1) increased integration of science and culture, (2) decreased content/teacher-centered instructional strategies, and (3) increased hands-on/student-centered instructional strategies. Statistically significant changes occurred in each category when contrasted with overall and other assessment categories.
- EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES IN TWO NINETEENTH CENTURY AMERICAN INDIAN MISSION SCHOOLS
  Karen K. McKellips [pp. 12-20]
  This article reports educational practices in two American Indian mission schools as described in a late Nineteenth Century newspaper published near the Chey-enne-Arapaho Agency in Indian Territory. News items, articles, and editorials in the "Cheyenne Transporter" have been analyzed in an attempt to provide clues to conditions and methodology within the schools and to the attitude of the editor toward the proper role of such schools in "Americanizing" the American Indian.
- A SURVEY OF AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THEIR STUDY SKILLS/COLLEGE LIFE
  John J. Hoover; Cecelia C. Jacobs [pp. 21-29]
  This study assesses American Indian college student's perceptions toward four areas critical to the successful completion of college. These include perceptions toward: (1) high school preparation; (2) quality of college course instruction; (3) personal views toward attending college; and (4) study skill abilities. An 80% response rate was obtained, and results reveal slightly positive perceptions toward college life and study skills abilities. Less than positive perceptions are found for counseling and career guidance in high school. Also, students had significantly lower perceptions toward their study skill abilities than they did toward their college course instruction and personal feelings toward attending college. Recommendations related to these results are provided.
- AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURES AND SCHOOL SUCCESS
  Jon Reyhner [pp. 30-39]
  This article is a response to an earlier "Journal of American Indian Education" article by Glen Latham advocating an assimilationist approach to improving American Indian education based on a series of visits to Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools. First, the author argues that Latham's 13 recommendations to improve BIA schools are based on an ethnocentric, dominant-culture viewpoint that ignores the history of Indian education, past studies of Indian education, and current research on bilingual and multicultural education. Second, he reviews relevant research that recommends reducing the cultural discontinuity between Indian communities and schools through the utilization of better teaching practices based on Indian and bilingual education research. Third, he describes a successful Indian school at Rock Point, Arizona that refutes Latham's recom-mendations. Finally, the author shows that the recent work of the Indian Nations at Risk Task Force on Indian education and the White House Conference on Indian education points to a more culturally pluralistic approach to Indian education than the one Latham advocated.
Issue 2 January 1993
- AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE POSTSECONDARY DEPARTURE: AN EXAMPLE OF ASSESSING A MAINSTREAM MODEL USING NATIONAL LONGITUDI-NAL DATA
  D. Michael Pavel; Raymond V. Padilla [pp. 1-23]
  Using Tinto's model of institutional departure, longitudinal data drawn from sophomore and senior cohorts in the High school and Beyond study (HS&B), and a variation of the statistical technique known as structural equation modeling, the present study sought to call attention to certain theoretical and methodologi-cal issues that arise when studying American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) postsecondary departure. A variation of structural equation modeling that treats all constructs as observed variables was used because of the small sample size. An initial confirmatory analysis found a weak fit between the Tinto model and the AI/AN sophomore cohort data. However, during an exploratory analysis minor revisions to the model suggest that family background, postsecondary intentions (both prior and during college), and formal and informal academic integration are the most significant aspects in Tinto's model that influence AI/AN postsecondary outcomes. In addition, important aspects of the Tinto model for the sophomore cohort only included the effects of academic skills, personal abilities, and prior schooling on initial postsecondary intentions. A confirmatory analysis using AI/AN senior cohort data found that initial postsecondary intentions and goal commitment are important factors that influence academic integration. These findings support existing research calling for more programs that foster positive family support and postsecondary intentions early in an AI/AN student's high school experience. Further, it was stressed that support programs should be in place to enhance academic and social integration while AI/ANs are in college. Finally, it was recommended that the sample size of AI/ANs in national data bases like HS&B need to be increased and the indicators need to be improved so that in the future better research can be conducted on American Indian and Alaska Native postsecondary outcomes.
- A FOCUS ON AMERICAN INDIAN COLLEGE PERSISTENCE
  Don-Paul Benjamin; Stephen Chambers; Gary Reiterman [pp. 24-40]
  Studies of college student persistence often concentrate on quantifying the characteristics of those who fail to persist. The present study departs from most research by focusing on those who succeed. American Indians, the least suc-cessful ethnic group in higher education, compose the target study population. After demonstrating the inability of quantitative statistics to predict American Indian persistence, the study proposes an alternative social science methodology which suggests that a culturally sensitive approach may help researchers define competencies leading to college persistence.
Issue 3 May 1993
- COMPUTER EXPERIENCE OF MENOMINEE INDIAN STUDENTS: GENDER DIFFER-ENCES IN COURSEWORK AND USE OF SOFTWARE
  Jerilyn R. Grignon [pp. 1-15]
  The purpose of this study was to examine computer experiences of Menominee Indian 8th- and 12th- grade students. Seventy-one students filled out a survey questionnaire indicating where they obtained their computer experience and under what circumstances. These findings showed that schools played a central role in providing access to computers and that gender differences occurred in significant proportions within the confine of software applications and differential coursetaking. In 8th-grade, females received similar in-school experience, but significant differences were found in programming where males obtained more experience in the home. In the 12th-grade, the difference occurred in the use if software; females spent significantly less time using games and graphics than same grade males. When considering patterns of coursetaking, females enrolled significantly less in classes where more sophisticated graphics programs were offered--in technical education. Other important differences revealed that more males than females in 12th-grade enrolled in computer science classes.
- THE AMERICAN INDIAN HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE: A MATTER OF STYLE?
  John A. Backes [pp. 16-29]
  The national high school dropout rate for American Indian students has been shown to be between approximately 30% (Swisher, Hoisch, & Pavel, 1991) to approximately 50% (Chavers, 1991). Although numerous reasons may exist for such a high dropout rate, one specific reason may be that the dominant personal learning styles of American Indian students is markedly different from that of the general population of students. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect that learning style has on the learning success or failure of American Indian Chippewa (Metis) high school students as compared to non-American Indian high school students. The instrument used to determine dominant person-al learning style was the Gregorc Style Delineator - Research Edition (Gregorc, 1982). Although no significant difference was found among the personal learning styles between graduates and dropouts in either the American Indian Chippe-wa (Metis) or the non-American Indian populations, the results of this study did indicate significant differences in learning styles of American Indian Chippe-wa (Metis) students as compared with non-American Indian students. Recommenda-tions to address the dominant learning styles of American Indian Chippe-wa (Metis) students include teacher awareness of learning style, staff develop-ment, and the adoption of a constructivist/cognitive approach to teaching.
- A PILOT STUDY OF SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND SUBSTANCE USE PAT-TERNS AMONG SELECTED AMERICAN INDIAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS
  Roland J. Lamarine [pp. 30-39]
  Sources of information about alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and other drugs are examined in a non-randomized sample of 168 American Indian high school seniors in New Mexico. The frequency of substance use is assessed along with selected intrapersonal, social, and environmental variables. The age at which the subjects first used these substances is compared with the age at which they first obtained information about them. Generally, students acquire informa-tion before they began to use the various substances. The most common sources in which the subjects received information were school, electronic media, and print media. Levels of use were lower than those reported for national surveys of the American Indian adolescent population. Parents' attitudes toward adolescent substance use were moderately correlated with adolescents' use of these substances. Implications of this pilot study are discussed and suggestions for implementation of a large scale survey are presented.

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