A programmed instructional training manual for admissions officers

The purpose of the study was to develop a training manual for admissions officers. The problem to be resolved was to translate into a series of linear frames some principles of good practice, management, and conduct that could be used as a guide by most admissions officers and offices.On many occasions, persons are designated as admissions officers in institutions of higher learning without having any knowledge of the functions and responsibilities of the office. Competence as an admissions officer may be achieved through experience or in-service training. As of now, no formal collegiate courses are available for the training of admissions officers. The problem that currently exists is the one of making workshops and institutes available to all of the new admissions officers nationally. The use of a programmed instructional training manual for admissions officers was expected to fill this void.Research was conducted on the subject matter areas of which admissions officers should be informed. Information for the training manual was obtained from The Professional Audit, compiled by a training team consisting of members of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the National Association of College Admissions Counselors. The Professional Audit,contained seventeen sections of basic principles pertinent to good management, practice, and conduct for admissions officers.Research on programmed instruction was conducted to gain a knowledge of the concept and theory of developing programmed materials. The research yielded results favorable to the technique of linear programming as the technique best suited for the purpose of the study.A linear programmed instructional unit was developed using the statements of basic principles in The Professional Audit as a source of subject matter. Seven of the seventeen sections of The Professional Audit were programmed. The seven sections constituted a model training manual that in-service training of admissions officers.The programmed materials were developed with the assistance of Dr. James G. Hunt, professor of educational psychology, Ball State University. Dr. Hunt was an experienced programmer and had co-authored several published programmed texts. The frames, written a few at a time were edited by Dr. Hunt for composition and programming techniques. The frames that were found to be inadequate were revised before being included in the training manual.The programmed unit was tested for validity by using the 90/90 standard. Ten graduate students were selected as subjects to field test the training manual. Of the ten, seven completed the program. In order for the program to technique of programmed instruction could be used to develop training manuals for other administrators who do not have the opportunity for formal training, for example, development officers, housing administrators, and career information specialists.The programmed instructional training manual for admissions officers will be expanded to include all of the seventeen original sections. Further, it is hoped that the manual will be published and utilized nationally by the professional organization."Admissions officers training manual:" leaves [95]-178.Thesis (D. Ed.