Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Document Type
Thesis
Date of this Version
12-1971
Citation
Thesis (M.S.)—University of Nebraska—Lincoln, 1971. Home Economics Area.
Abstract
It was the overall purpose of this study to provide a descriptive survey of the educational experiences given to newly blinded homemakers by rehabilitation teachers. More specifically, the intention was to determine the subject matter and techniques given to the homemakers; to determine specific background characteristics of the teachers, including age, sex, visual impairment, and employment; to determine the resources and services utilized by rehabilitation teachers; to determine the types of clientele the teachers; and finally, to compare the characteristics of the rehabilitation teachers with the number of educational experiences they frequently give to newly blinded homemakers.
The 66 rehabilitation teachers included in this study were found to be a heterogeneous group. The ages of the group range from 22-63 years of age, the mean age being 39. The majority of the teachers, 74.2%, were female. Most of the teachers who were visually impaired, 78.8%, were congenitally blind; 27.3% were totally blind. All of the rehabilitation teachers indicated they had received formal education beyond high school, with an average of 5.1 years post-high school education. The teachers were all employed by the state, serving a mean of 7.5 years as aids to the blind. Teaching materials ranged from books in braille to books in print, including state manuals. All but one of the teachers taught both men and women who were not full-time homemakers; one teacher taught a full-time female homemaker exclusively. There were many different subjects within the area home economics taught to the newly blind homemakers.
The study found no significant relationships between the variable ages, years in present position, years of visual impairment, classes in high school home economics, classes in college level home economics, classes in home economics through the Extension Service, workshops in home economics, and total classes and workshops in home economics. However, there were two significant differences found: a relationship was found between the variables of years of education beyond high school and the number of items taught often; also, differences were found between the sex of the teachers and the educational experiences they gave to the newly blinded homemakers. Overall, the group of rehabilitation teachers was heterogeneous.
Advisor: Lois O. Schwab.
Comments
Copyright 1971, the author. Used by permission.