Date of Award

8-1980

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Uldis Smidchens

Second Advisor

Dr. John Wood Kofel

Third Advisor

Dr. Ernest Stech

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate Trust Territory student perceptions of cultural differences, financial assistance, academic performance, and housing facilities which were hypothesized to affect satisfaction with college life. Comparisons of perceptions were made among the six administrative districts in the Trust Territory and the four undergraduate grade levels.

The population for the study consisted of 468 students from the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands who attended three institutions of higher learning which were selected for the study. The total Trust Territory student population from these institutions was utilized.

A 45-item questionnaire was constructed using a Likert scale, which was based upon the independent, intervening, and dependent variables. The items were designed as either positive or negative statements. All negative statement responses were inverted for scoring and analysis purposes.

The data analysis of the results consisted of reporting response rates, after which a two-day fixed effects analysis was conducted. In those instances, where the hypothesis was supported, a post-hoc analysis was conducted using the Scheffe test.

The questionnaire return rates from the three institutions ranged from 65.2% to 73.7% with an overall return rate of 72.0%. The hypotheses relating perceptions of cultural differences to districts and grade levels were not supported. Also no interaction effects were found between districts and grade levels upon the perceptions of cultural differences. The hypothesis relating districts and grade levels with perceptions of financial assistance were also not supported. Support was found for the hypothesis dealing with the interaction effect between district and grade level upon perceptions of financial support.

The hypotheses relating districts and grade levels with perceptions of academic performance were accepted. The associated interaction effect was not supported, however.

The hypothesized relationship between grade levels and perceptions of housing facilities was not supported; however, a relationship was found between district and perceptions of housing facilities. There was an interaction effect between grade level and district upon the perceptions of housing facilities.

A relationship was found between the perception of each of the four areas of cultural differences, financial assistance, academic performance, and housing facilities with satisfaction of campus life.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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