Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Self-Esteem Instruction For Children With Disabilities, James Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of self-esteem instruction for children with disabilities. Academic achievement, attitudes toward school and learning, and attitudes toward peers were measured prior to ninety days of self-esteem direct instruction. A total of 72 children with disabilities from grade 1 to 3 in 3 elementary schools in the same community participated. They were divided into both control and experimental groups in 3 elementary schools with a total of 3 experiment and 3 control groups. Three special education teachers provided self-esteem direct instruction to the experimental groups according to the same lesson plans …

A Study Of Certification For The Middle Grade Mathematics Teacher, James E. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine differences and similarities among elementary and secondary certified teachers' beliefs about state certification for the middle grades mathematics teacher.

A mail-in survey was conducted among teachers at forty-eight public schools serving middle grade students in Camden County. A fourteen-item questionnaire obtained opinions from teachers teaching in the middle grades. Teachers responded to items about state certification and individual requirements for obtaining certification.

The data was analyzed, and percents calculated. Teachers did not believe that elementary certification programs adequately prepared individuals to teach middle grades mathematics. The underlying perception is that neither of …

A Technique For Converting Nfa's And Dfa's To Regular Expressions In Lex, Gregory Safko

Theses and Dissertations

In the design and creation of compilers, a compiler-writer is called upon to make assumptions and declarations about how their language's syntax performs and behaves. Lex is a software tool used to create grammar rules. A flat file is read as input to lex, and the corresponding C code is output. However, in order to properly format the flat file, the compiler-writer creates the lex expression either on a "hunch," or based on some given set of criteria. Among these criteria are: case sensitivity, the introduction of special characters and symbols, the handling of a space character, and the handling …

Increasing Social Relationships Among Kindergartners Using Peer Reporting, Christine A. Gruenler

Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on increasing the social relationships of kindergarten students using peer reporting. This method encouraged children to use social skills on the playground. In addition, the students were encouraged to report the observed use of social skills to be recognized by their classmates. The subjects of the study included an experimental group of 20 kindergarten students and a control group of 21 kindergarten students, both located in an elementary school in a rural area of southern New Jersey. Social relationships were measured by the number of tattle tales on the playground, whereas tattletaling indicated that there were diminished …

The Effects Of Grouping In Social Studies On The Enjoyment, Motivation, And Successful Learning When Reading Informative Texts, Pamela D. Pitt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine whether grouping when reading informative texts during social studies lessons gave students enjoyment and motivation, which, in turn, would provide more success in learning for the students. It explored a method that is not whole class instruction, but is sometimes used in the classroom. The researcher of this study did not attempt to determine which method is better to use during social studies instruction, but rather how students perceive reading informative texts in social studies after being exposed to peer-assisted group instruction. The forty-eight participants of the study were taken from two …

The Effects Of Cooperative Learning On Mathematics Achievement For Third Grade Students, Angelina M. Carione

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cooperative learning on mathematics achievement. It was hypothesized that students who worked cooperatively during mathematics practice would achieve a higher test score on the post-test than students who did not work together. The subjects of the study were forty third grade students form a southern New Jersey school district. The study consisted of an experimental and a control group. Both groups were administered a pre-test. The experimental group then participated in cooperative learning during mathematics practice for a seven-week period. Both groups were post-tested after seven weeks.

Calculations proved …

Instituting Issue-Based Civics In The 11th Grade Classroom, Nicholas J. Diblasi, Carissa Larkin

Theses and Dissertations

There were several goals of this study. The first goal of this study was to identify if issue-based civics would produce any difference in a student's attitude for and appreciation in civics. The second goal was to identify if issue-based civics would produce any difference in a student's comprehension levels in civics. The last of these goals was to identify if the school a student attended had any impact on their attitude toward and appreciation of civics and comprehension levels in civics. The study was conducted on a sample of 70 11th grade students enrolled in American History II college …

Title Ix Compliance In Intercollegiate Athletics, Michelle Andre

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine how institutions have been in compliance with Title IX at the New Jersey state schools that are part of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and are affiliated with the NCAA as Division III programs. The research was to show how these institutions felt they were in compliance and to explore whether they have met certain criteria and how programs have been dropped in order for institutions to meet a quota. I gathered my information via surveys. The subjects surveyed were both male and female athletic administrators at the state universities. Eighteen …

Webquest Depository, Ella Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a web site that teachers could use to assist them to integrate technology into their classroom and to create a constructivist learning environment that would be conducive to teaching and learning higher order thinking skills.

The federal government requires technology integration in academic institutions. As, a result, every classroom is to be equipped with five computers. Teachers must update their pedagogical proficiencies to include technology. In addition, teachers must adapt their curriculum to accommodate the use of technology. Research has shown that a constructivist teaching style is an excellent means for students …

Inclusion, The Forced Game Plan For Levelling The Playing Field: One High School's First Attempt, Rebecca Tribbett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the co-teaching as an inclusionary technique in a high school setting. Co-teaching in this study consisted of a general and special education teacher collaborating in the instruction of a group of general and special needs students.

The participants included 140 students, the general education and special education teacher. The teachers completed an Inclusion Survey that contained a twenty-item, four points, forced-choice Likert Scale. The survey measured the teachers' beliefs in four domains: Teacher training, Academic Content/Teacher Effectiveness, Social Atmosphere (students) and Academic Climate.

Interviews of the teaching staff and …

Non-Certificated Staff Evaluation Instruments That Are Meaningful And Promote Improved Job Performance, Doris J. Isaacs

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine development of an evaluation instrument for non-certificated staff. This instrument would clearly recognize the valuable contributions of this important and often overlooked group of employees and provide a tool to promote improved job performance.

Individuals participating in the study were the School Business Administrator, 86 non-certificated staff, three head custodians and three principals. Non-certificated employees were surveyed using a written questionnaire to determine their opinions of evaluations and job performance motivators. The head custodians and principals participated in informal interviews regarding existing practices. Five non-certificated staff participated in personal interviews about employee …

Electronic Teacher Portfolio, Linda H. Drucker, Marguerite A. Paolone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project is to determine the value of using an electronic teacher portfolio to document instructional methods and strategies. Research suggested the possible use of electronic portfolios by teachers to compile genuine representations of their personal style, creativity, and methodology.

As models of electronic teacher portfolios were limited, we created a template using HyperStudio 4.0 and an accompanying guidebook, so teachers could easily create a personalized electronic teacher portfolio.

To evaluate the guidebook's ease of use, we disseminated the materials to one technologically experienced teacher and one with basic computer knowledge. While creating their own electronic …

The Effects Of Social Skills Training To Improve Peer Acceptance For Students With Disabilities, Jennifer L. Knoll

Theses and Dissertations

The current study examined the effects of social skills training and social integration in play activities to facilitate the social competence and peer acceptance of students with multiple disabilities mainstreamed for non-academic subjects. Ten 3rd and 5th grade students with disabilities and 60 non-disabled 3rd graders participated in this study. The target students spent more than 65% of their day in a self-contained classroom and were included for non-academic activities such as homeroom, lunch and recess, and related arts.

A multidimensional approach to social skills instruction was provided to students with disabilities in their self-contained classroom. The students with disabilities …

Effects Of Learning Style On Performance Outcome In A Distance Education Setting, Karen M. Mattison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship that existed between learning style and performance outcome for a Distance Education setting. The study included three groups of students taking an introductory computer science course during the spring/02 semester at a small Community College in New Jersey. Each group was taught by the same instructor, used the same syllabus, and was expected to complete the same number and type of tests and assignments. However, the first group was a traditional lecture-based section. The second, was a traditional lecture-based section, but enhanced somewhat with a course web site interface. The …

Research A Formative Method And Instrument For Staff Evaluations, Mary Benatti

Theses and Dissertations

Through the creation of a formative method and instrument of staff evaluations an ongoing cycle of evaluation and professional development will be encouraged for all middle school teachers. All data collection was conducted through individual interviews at Salem Middle School in Salem City School District. Team leaders from grades 4 through 8 and the team leader from the special education department participated in the interview process. The data was analyzed by the intern at the conclusion of all interviews. Analysis was conducted through coding which led to categories, themes and patterns.

Recognizing their own areas of improvement and assessing input …

The Relationship Between Thematic Teacher Teaming And Its Effects Upon Student Achievement And Cross-Curricula Cohesiveness, Lakecia C. Hyman

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between thematic teacher teaming and its effects upon student achievement and cross-curricula cohesiveness. The data were collected from a teacher questionnaire, student group discussions, school attendance and test scores, student assessments, and field notes. These various methods produced information about the development, understanding, enforcement, and collaboration regarding team teaching and its effects upon student achievement. A review of literature attributed initial positive teacher and student responses and later decreased lack of participation with inconsistent enforcement and support from administration. The findings of this study showed that this school did not develop a …

Kindergarten To Fourth Grade Student Code Of Conduct, Carrieann L. Molnar

Theses and Dissertations

The study was designed to develop a kindergarten through fourth grade code of conduct for the Charles L. Spragg School. The parents and faculty completed a Likert style survey about the present discipline code. The study also reviewed the number of discipline referrals before and after the implementation of the new code of conduct.

The student population was comprised of approximately 353 pre-k through fourth grade students and 44 staff members. The surveys completed by the parents and staff were compiled and used to develop the new code of conduct. The number of discipline referrals for October, November, December and …

Restructuring The District's High School Guidance Department, Margaret L. Corcoran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify and obtain the resources to create a comprehensive guidance department that would meet the needs of our school population in preparing them for the 21st century. Survey questionnaires provided quantitative data for needs analysis. The questionnaire utilized a Likert Scale. All high school students were given the student survey, approximately one-third responded. The purpose was to have an in-depth understanding of which students' needs were being met and which were not. The students were asked to only identify their grade. A stratification by grade of the high school population allowed for a …

Discipline Problems: Ways Of Improvement, Teresa Mcganey-Guy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover new ways of assisting students that have behavioral problems and the teachers of those students.

The subjects in this study were four teachers and their first and second grade students. The teachers were three females and one male. Two of the female teachers teach first grade and the others teach second grade.

The research tool used in this study was a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed to gain knowledge about the effectiveness of the discipline strategies. The questions were used to collect general information about the respondent and the discipline strategies.

The …

Understanding The Need To Transition High School Students From School To Work, Christopher Armstrong

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine what employers were looking for in recent high school graduates. The study also tried to determine if high schools were currently meeting the needs of employers. A survey was sent to one hundred employers in the Southern New Jersey area asking about the importance of skills taught in high schools. Southern New Jersey is comprised of rural and suburban communities. The most widespread industries in Southern New Jersey are construction and hospitality/gaming. The survey asked questions about the importance of academic skills, social skills, work readiness skills, and higher level thinking skills. …

The Effects Of A Social And Emotional Learning Curriculum On The Academic Achievement Of High School Students, Lyn J. Langford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum on students' academic achievement, classroom behavior and SEL skills. An SEL curriculum was administered to 105 randomly selected college preparatory United States History 10th grade students. Students received a pretest and a posttest measuring their perception of SEL skills. This was administered before the 10 lesson unit was facilitated and after the action research was completed. The curriculum combined SEL and American Government. Various forms of assessment were used to measure academic achievement.

Survey results were analyzed and comparison percentages tabulated to …

Academic Achievement Team - A School Within A School Program: Does Specialized Remediation Increase Test Scores?, Donald F. Mills

Theses and Dissertations

This research is being done to assess the tenets of the Academic Achievement Program. Those tenets being that a school within a school program devoted to those students who did not successfully complete any of the three parts of the Grade Eight Proficiency Assessment will help them to catch up and successfully pass the High School Proficiency Assessment. This program will also reduce behavior problems and absenteeism while simultaneously increasing the students' feelings of success and accomplishment. To test these tenets a set of surveys will be utilized along with report card grades for two sets of students. The students …

Extrinsic/Intrinsic Motivational Study, Steven R. Howard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to understand how extrinsic/intrinsic motivation will encourage student learning in a sixth grade learning setting. The drawing population was approximately 157 students. The sample of the study consisted of 43 sixth graders. The students were given pre-assessment and post-assessment surveys to answer. The pre-assessment survey was given in October and the post-assessment was given in February. The study consisted of control and experimental groups. Twenty-one students were in the experimental group and twenty-two in the control group. The experimental group received the four-phase study. During the pre-assessment phase, the students' responses in the experimental …

Has The Adoption Of Whole School Reform Benefitted Eighth Grade Students At Cantrell Middle School?, Derrick L. Carrington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of Whole School Reform on the delivery of instructional services to eighth graders using a community-based action research design. The study will result in a feasibility report to inform parents, teachers, students, administrators, and board members. The use of Whole School Reform for eighth graders is a means of providing them with creative learning processes while learning in an efficient manner.

This particular study was directed towards a small cluster of eighth grade students who attended the Cantrell Middle School as fifth graders. There was also a focus …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Ncaa Divisions I, Ii, And Iii Compliance Programs, Michele Mcgowan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore a number of aspects and components of athletic compliance programs in Division I, II, and III institutions. I gathered my information for this study via surveys. The subjects surveyed were both male and female athletic administrators at Division I, II, and III colleges and universities. A systematic random sample stratified by division such that it would provide a 90% confidence level with a ± 5% margin of error was designed. To achieve the desired confidence level, I sent 213 surveys as follows: 70 surveys were sent to Division I institutions, 58 were …

Teachers' Attitudes Toward Inclusion: What Did They Say?, Lisa R. Waligore

Theses and Dissertations

This study used a survey to obtain information regarding regular education teachers' and special education teachers' attitude toward inclusive education and other related issues in inclusive classrooms, such as co-teaching, teaching strategies, instructional planning, learning capabilities, accommodations, and mutual respect. Two hundred copies of the surveys were distributed to 7 public schools, 105 were returned. Of those, 60 were elementary teachers, 14 were special education teachers, 16 were middle school teachers, and 10 were high school teachers.

The responses were analyzed using 1-5 points, 1 to indicated strongly agree, 2 to indicate agree, 3 to indicate neither agree nor disagree, …

Reading Achievement: A Comparison Of Inclusion, Pull-Out, And Combined Approaches For Students With Learning Disabilities, Ethel J. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

More children are referred for special needs because of their reading problems than in any other areas, and concerns on programs to assist students with learning disabilities were raised, (Bos & Vaughn, 1993). The purpose of this study was to examine if these students would gain reading achievements when they were instructed in an inclusive, pull-out, or combined program. A total of 36 students with learning disabilities from grades 2 and 3 participated in this study. They were enrolled in inclusion, pull-out, and combined programs respectively. The pretest and posttest of the Jerry L. Johns Basic Reading Inventory were administered …

A Comparison Study On Collaboration Between Regular And Special Education Teachers, Beverly L. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the collaboration between regular and special education teachers in a South New Jersey School District. A secondary purpose of the study was to evaluate the current inclusion program in the district where an inclusion program was implemented approximately 5 years ago.

A survey was distributed to approximately 50 teachers in this particular district. Thirty-two of the fifty teachers participating in an inclusion program completed the survey with 26 questions. Four categories were analyzed: Training/Preparation, Role of the Special Education Teacher, Role of the Regular Education Teacher and Improvements.

The results indicated that …

Aftermath Of 9-11: Stress Levels During January 2002 From Manhattan To California, Terryl Chapman

Theses and Dissertations

In September of 2001, the world entered a period of recovery from the terrorist attacks on our nation which will engender decades of struggle to study, analyze and express the effects of that day by almost every conceivable field of human endeavor. The purpose of this study was to describe levels of stress throughout the nation during the first two weeks of January 2002. It was hypothesized that those people who were in closest geographic proximity to the disasters would have the highest levels of stress. The present study consisted of 96 respondents. 22 of those were within a 20-mile …

A Descriptive History Of The Discipline Of Athletic Training Education, Scott M. Lisher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to trace the history of athletic training education as an athletic discipline. Through careful study and research, the author presents how formal education has evolved for professionals in the field of athletic training. The roots of athletic training education can be traced to the mid-1950's. From that period, athletic training education has changed immensely and is still changing today. This research explores the relationship between the development of higher education and the way athletic training evolved as a discipline within higher education. Much of the focus is on change, not only including changes made …