Education Commons^™

A Study Of Literacy Efficacy And Student Achievement Among Beginning Middle School Teachers In An Urban Context, Michael J. Mustain

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Many U.S. school districts are addressing concerns in the areas of literacy education, teacher shortages, and overall student achievement. Teacher preparation in the area of literacy education and the ability of core subject teachers to include literacy components in their daily lessons appears vital to student achievement. Teacher shortages, particularly in high need, "hard to staff'' urban schools, are a serious problem that alternative preparation programs help to address. Alternative preparation programs can provide highly qualified teachers in urban schools. The Transition to Teaching (TTT) trained teachers provided literacy education that in turn helped improve benchmark tests, end-of-year tests, cumulative …

The Effects Of Technology On Urban High School Students' Sense Of Classroom Community, Mervyn J. Wighting

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study measured the sense of classroom community among students from two different grades in an independent urban high school (N = 181). A standardized instrument was used to compare sense of community in classes whose teachers used computers frequently and consistently in their instruction with others in which the teachers seldom or never included computer use in the classroom. Quantitative analysis revealed that there was a significant difference between the classes in terms of one of the sub-scales of the instrument; students whose teachers used computers frequently and consistently scored higher on the learning sub-scale of the sense …

A Study Of The Effects Of Constructivist Based Vs. Traditional Direct Instruction On 8th Grade Science Comprehension, Clair T. Berube

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Studies conducted nationwide over the past several decades point consistently to the evidence that American school children lag behind several other countries in science scores. Problems arise from this dilemma, including the question of the ability of our youngsters to compete nationally and globally in the sciences as adults. Current research in this area of scores currently studies mostly mathematics. The few studies conducted concerning science mainly highlight students in other countries and neglects minorities and females regarding outcomes.

By contrast, this study investigated the effects of teacher types (also defined as teaching styles or classroom orientation) on student outcomes …

The Influence Of Selected Noncognitive Variables On The Academic Success Of Urban Black High School Males In An Enrichment Pre-College Program, Leon Rouson

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The thrust of this study was to examine the influence of selected noncognitive variables on the academic success of urban Black high school males in an enrichment Pre-College Program. The major research question was: Which of the selected noncognitive variables are most useful in predicting academic success for urban Black high school males?

This study reinvestigated Sedlacek and Brooks' (1976) proposed set of seven noncognitive variables related to academic success: (a) self-concept; (b) realistic self-appraisal; (c) understanding of and ability to deal with racism; (d) preference for long-term goals over more immediate, short-term needs; (e) availability of a strong support …

Community Social Disorganization Theory Applied To Adolescent Academic Achievement, Spencer Ross Baker

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Over the years, the public education system has been transformed by outside political and societal forces to provide an equal opportunity for all students. Investigations of the public education system were not consistent and yielded divergent results on how to improve adolescent academic achievement. These divergent results were caused by different operationalizations of variables, data analytical procedures that possibly provided biased parameter estimates, and a failure to use a comprehensive theory. Although these results were inconsistent, the latest transformation of the public education system currently involves holding schools, administrators, parents, and students accountable for learning.

The measurement of success in …

The Effects Of School Uniforms On Student Behavior And Perceptions In An Urban Middle School, Jacqueline M. Mccarty

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

Public opinion polls have consistently highlighted the prevalence of violence in America's schools. Specifically, school personnel have witnessed increased assault and theft related to the wearing of expensive clothing. Concomitantly, administrators have noted decreased attendance rates triggered by clothing issues. Given the gravity of these problems, school officials nationwide have enacted uniform policies in hopes of improving school safety and student behavior. However, current research establishing the effectiveness of these policies is largely anecdotal. The few studies utilizing empirical measures mainly highlight short-term outcomes and often fail to address student perceptions regarding clothing-related problems.

By contrast, this study investigated the …

Comparative Effects Of Three Methods Of Staff Development In Content Area Reading Instruction On Urban High School Teachers, Mark Alan Forget

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

In researching the role of group interaction and constructivism in three different types of staff development in content area reading instruction with urban high school teachers, a self-report survey instrument was used to ascertain differences between four groups of respondents with regard to respondents' reported levels on four dependent variables. Univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the degree of statistical significance between mean scores that resulted. Results showed statistically significant differences with probabilities less than .05 for group differences based on the independent variables type of staff development received by respondents, reported support of school administrators for …

A Study Of The "Pride" Program: A Residential, Summer-School Program For At-Risk Middle-School Students In An Urban Community, Maria Teresa Amillategui Grimm

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This research examined the Pride Program (1991 and 1992)--a residential, summer-school program for at-risk middle-school students. It was conducted with subjects from two large, urban middle schools for the purpose of determining if, after five school years, differences existed among three selected groups (treatment, control and comparison) of at-risk students in the areas of academic achievement, attendance and conduct. Treatment-group self-esteem was examined over a three-year period. Furthermore, this study provided a qualitative program evaluation of the Pride Program for the first two years of its existence.

The results are as follows: The qualitative evaluation indicated that all participants were …

A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Character Education In A Large Urban Community, Suzanne G. Houff

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This case study seeks to provide insight into the community perception of character education in a large urban area that does not currently implement an explicit program in moral values. The community is established through adolescents in middle school, parents of the adolescents, school counselors and community members. Informants are selected in an attempt to ensure a diverse cross section of the middle school communities.

Perceptions of character education are established through the process of interviews and a card sort involving a total N of 72 stakeholders. Each respondent is asked to provide definitions, synonyms and/or examples of a given …

A Study To Determine The Effects Of Marketing Occupational Experience On Urban Secondary Marketing Teachers' Perceptions Of Curriculum Priorities, K. Denise Threlfall

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the significance of marketing occupational work experience on urban marketing teachers' prioritization of curriculum content areas delivered through instruction. This study tested a hypothesis of difference, using the variable of years of experience in marketing occupations as the catalyst for four research questions. By identifying the effect of occupational experience in marketing and its relationship to the prioritization of curriculum content for urban secondary marketing programs, the importance of occupational experience on curriculum content could be explored from an educational viewpoint.

This research assessed seventy-five secondary marketing educators and a twelve member …

An Examination Of The Role Of The Assistant Principal In High Schools In Virginia That Are Restructuring, Teresa K. Mizelle

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This study examined the assistant principalship in urban public high schools in Virginia that were restructuring. The study was designed to determine the role of the assistant principal, to identify how the role had changed as a result of restructuring, to identify concerns and issues to be considered for redefining the role, and to identify modifications to enhance the role.

The literature review revealed that the role in general and in schools that were restructuring had been ignored. Themes identified for exploration included role definition, ambiguity, and conflict; changing relationships; decision making; shared leadership; job satisfaction; and career goals.

A …

A Meta-Analysis Of The Effect Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On The Academic Achievement Of Students In Grades 6 Through 12: A Comparison Of Urban, Suburban, And Rural Educational Settings, Edwin Patrick Christmann

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This meta-analysis analyzed grades 6 through 12 school students' academic achievement effect sizes from experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational studies that examined the effects of microcomputer-based computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on the academic achievement of urban, suburban, and rural students across various subjects. Those studies compared secondary students who were exposed to CAI with those who were exposed to traditional instructional strategies.

A total of 3,476 students participated in 24 studies which resulted in 35 conclusions. The sample size ranged from 28 to 425; the mean sample size was 140 students.

The mean effect sizes of urban, suburban, and rural students uncovered …

The Effects Of An Urban Middle School Dropout Prevention Program On The Academic Achievement, Attendance, Attitudes, And Conflict Resolution Skills Of At-Risk Student, Patricia Hawkins Fisher

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an urban middle school dropout prevention program on the academic achievement, attendance, attitudes toward self and school, and conflict resolution skills of potential dropout candidates. The study compared the differences in grade point averages and Iowa Test of Basic Skills scores, percentages of absences, self concept and motivation towards school scores, and the percentage of suspensions of subjects in three middle schools in Portsmouth, Virginia. A review of literature revealed that traditional dropout prevention efforts have addressed the dropout dilemma with varying degrees of success. More recent dropout initiatives …

An Evaluation Model For Middle School Counseling And Guidance, Ann Salisbury Harrison

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The literature on middle school counseling and guidance indicates program evaluation is not being conducted and is resisted by counselors for many reasons. A critical problem is the lack of a widely-accepted evaluation model. This study provides an evaluation model that can be used by middle school counselors to evaluate counseling and guidance. The model furnishes meaningful and useful information to be used in planning a comprehensive and developmentally-appropriate counseling and guidance program for early adolescence. The evaluation model used the framework of Daniel Stufflebeam's CIPP Model. The study provided information on the goals of middle school counseling and guidance …

A Comparison Of Self-Efficacy And Informational Career Counseling With Undecided High School Seniors, Beth Beddingfield Bangley

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two career counseling interventions upon the career decision-making self-efficacy of two groups of undecided high school seniors. The setting of the study was a large public high school in a metropolitan area in the Southeastern region of the United States. In order to identify students' initial levels of confidence and certainty for making career and educational plans, a brief self-report survey was administered to seniors. Seniors appearing to possess low levels of confidence and certainty were given the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale (CDMSES) as a diagnostic screening measure. Forty-eight …

An Analysis Of Urban Higher Education Ceo's Perceptions Of Critical Leadership Behaviors, Linda Ferguson Banis

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The research question for this study asked if CEO's (Chief Executive Officers) of urban higher education institutions hold the same values and beliefs as those attributed to business and industry CEO's through the business literature. Through survey methodology, the analysis of urban higher education CEO's perceptions of critical leadership behaviors revealed very similar belief patterns. The primary discrepancies between the research group and their industry counterparts lie in the degree to which critical behaviors are espoused and in the acceptance of transformational leadership as a proactive model for effective organizational change. The responses to the open-ended portion of the questionnaire …

Effects Of An Urban Alternative High School Dropout Prevention And Rehabilitation Program On The Attendance, Attitude And Academic Achievement Of At-Risk Students, Margaret Shearin Bell

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a dropout prevention program on at-risk high school students who returned to their home schools. The study was conducted in Newport News, Virginia at four high schools and an alternative school site, housing the dropout program. The subjects were divided into two independent treatment groups: Group One (N = 30) who participated in the program in the fall semester of 1988 and returned to their home schools in the spring semester of 1989, and Group Two (N = 21) who participated in the program in the spring semester of …

Self-Concepts Of Christian And Public High School Seniors, Dorothy Potts Lee

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Services - Urban Education

This ex post facto study compared the self-concepts of seniors from three Christian high schools in southeastern Virginia with three public high schools located in the same cities. One intact classroom from each school was employed, making a total of 147 subjects.

A one-way multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted to maximize the power of discrimination of the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS) by predicting the best linear combination of dependent variables after statistically adjusting for covariates. Performance on five of the subscales was judged not to be related to potential differences between the two types of schools and those …