Education Commons^™

The Routines And Rituals Of A Design And Technology Classroom: An Ethnographic Study, Shaun Wellbourne-Wood

Theses : Honours

This research examines questions and issues raised from an ethnographic study of a secondary design and technology classroom. A critical ethnographic methodology was employed to explore the 'way of life' in design and technology and examine how aspects of this micro-culture impact on teaching and learning. This ethnographic account includes description and discussion of four significant aspects of design and technology culture. The first examines the predominant masculine culture within this classroom and the subject area at large. The second is the story of four girls and their perceived alienation and exclusion from the dominance of "a boy subject". Third …

A Caregiver's Perceptions And Practices In Relation To Her Speech To An Under 2-Year-Old Age Group In A Childcare Centre, Irene Wong

Theses : Honours

The objective of this study was to investigate what a caregiver sees as her role in relation to young children's oral language development. This study examines her perceptions and beliefs, as well as the various activities that she thinks facilitates language development with under 2-year-old children. The main focus of the study is her language interactions with the children while they took part in three activities. The investigation involved qualitative case study research to collect the oral language interactions between the caregiver and the young children and the activities she provides. The features of the caregiver's speech to young children …

Decreasing Inappropriate Classroom Behaviours Through A Videotape Self-Modelling And Self-Monitoring Treatment Package, Catherine Ann Coyle

Theses : Honours

Children with autism frequently display an inability to function independently. This has led researchers to develop treatments that are aimed at overcoming the dependency of these children on parents and teachers and which teach them to manage their own behaviour. A self-management treatment package consisting of videotaped self-modelling, self-monitoring, and self-reinforcement was investigated in the present study. The focus was the effect of the treatment package on the inappropriate classroom behaviours of three children with autism. The behaviours that were chosen were those that were most likely to interfere with the participants' ability to work independently in the classroom. The …

University Teachers' Attitudes Towards Giftedness, Gifted Students And Special Provision For The Gifted, S. M. Cooper

Theses : Honours

What are the attitudes of university teachers towards giftedness, gifted and talented students and special provision for the gifted? The present study explored the attitudes towards gifted and talented students by two cohorts of university teachers. Both cohorts, one from 1996 and the other from 1997, were third year, secondary Bachelor of Arts in Education students, both participating in a university module related to catering for the high ability student in the regular classroom. The 1997 cohort's attitudes were measured before and after the module. Subsequently, some willing participants from the 1997 cohort were followed through to ascertain whether their …

Some Determinants Of Success And Failure In First-Year University Business Units At Private Colleges, Clive P. Oliver

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates some of the determinates of academic success and failure (and dropout) from first year university level Business units at two private business colleges in Perth, Western Australia. Private business colleges are convenient vehicles for international and Western Australian students who do not possess adequate academic assessments for direct entry into university, and for students who might benefit from an enhanced pastoral support system, in the transition from secondary education to tertiary education. The study is important to private providers and to universities who are trying to help students succeed at university. The study utilises a model of …

The Specificity Of Skill Acquisition: Is It Task Related?, Dawn Darlaston-Jones

Theses : Honours

The plethora of research into the area of skill acquisition and transfer has resulted in conflicting conclusions regarding the nature of transfer. Some researchers have found skill transfer to be specific to the items experienced during training (Logan, I 988, alphabet-arithmetic task; Masson, 1986, reverse reading task). Others have found transfer to be general (Speelman & Kirsner, I 997, syllogism task) or both general and specific in the same task (Greig & Speelman, 1999, algebra task). This study investigated the assumption that the task involved dictates the specific nature of skill acquisition and transfer. Sixty participants drawn from the Edith …

A Comparison Of Self-Esteem In Stepfather And Nuclear Family Children, Nancy Briggs Collins

Theses

Not available.

The Relationship Between Personality Type And Career Pathway Choices Among Ninth And Tenth Grade Students, Margaret Mcilroy Goodin

Theses

Two hundred three ninth and tenth grade students from a small, rural. public high school were tested using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator {MBTI) Form G. Students were divided into six groups on the basis of their previously chosen career pathway. as prescribed by the Missouri Model Guidance Program. using the Career Pathways Interest Inventory (CPIJ). The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was a significant relationship between personality type and career pathway choice among adolescent students. The two variables were compared using a chi-square statistical analysis. Results indicated that a significant relationship between personality type and career …

The Relationship Between School Counselor's Perception Of A Supportive School Climate And Reported Level Of Job Satisfaction, Kimberly A. Nelson

Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between a school counselor's perception of a supportive school climate and reported level of job satisfaction. School climate was determined using the School Climate Scale, while job satisfaction was determined using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Participants in this study were randomly selected from a list of all counselors employed in a school counseling position as of January 1998, obtained from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Analysis of the data was completed using the Pearson r to assess the correlation between school climate and job satisfaction.

Naturalistic Speech And Language Remediation In The Preschool Population, Karen L. Nix

Honors Theses

Views of language learning have shifted from passive, behavioristic models in the l 960's to contemporary models which view the child as an active learner (Nelson, 1995). During the same time period, laws such as PL 94-142 and PL 99-457 were passed, which mandated that special services be provided to preschool children and their families and that services be provided in a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) (Tiegerman-Farber, 1995). Naturalistic speech and language remediation is one option that meets the LRE for the preschool population. A mail-out survey of 200 Arkansas Speech-Language Pathologists was utilized in researching the actual and ideal …

Learner Centeredness As A Predictor Of Teachers' Role Stress And Career Commitment, Kathryn Marie Krudwig

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Questions explored in this study were: (a) Is learner centeredness related to teacher role stress and/or career commitment; (b) If so, can learner centeredness explain variance in teachers' role stress and/or career commitment; (c) Is the discrepancy between teacher and student perceptions of teacher practices related to teacher role stress and/or career commitment; and (d) if so, can this discrepancy explain variance in teachers' role stress and/or career commitment? The current need to provide every child with qualified and committed teachers in the face of a growing, national teacher shortage supported the significance of the research. The study was based …

A Critical Analysis Of Devolution And The Corporate Reform Of Teachers' Work, Patrick O'Brien

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The corporate transformation of bureaucratic public education in Western Australia commenced in the late 1980s. The reforms announced in the Better Schools Report (1987) aimed to devolve responsibility to schools for the purpose of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public education. Designed to be responsive, adaptable, flexible and accountable, the administrative style accompanying the reforms is described as corporate managerialism. Devolution has impacted heavily on schools and teachers' work. Evidence presented in this thesis suggests that the corporate values and practices that dominate the organisation and management of schools create personal and professional conflict for many classroom teachers. Devolution …

Perceptions Of 4th And 6th Grade Students, Regarding Their Academic Abilities And Achievement, As Related To Participation In Distance Learning Using Interactive Television, Frances C. Stromsland

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Administration Perception Of Faculty Productivity In Four Year Public Institutions Of Higher Education In Northern New Jersey, William F. Clark

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Block Scheduling: A Comparison Of Block Scheduling And Traditional Scheduling And Its Relationship To Student Achievement, Student Satisfaction And Teacher Methodology In A Junior-Senior High School In New Jersey, Thomas Matarazzo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Comparison Between Professional Judgment Of The Child Study Team And Regression Analysis In Identification Of Perceptually Impaired Students, Linda R. Weber

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Correlates Of Minority Transfer Students Academic Performance And Retention At A Four Year Public Institution, Pedro Zayas

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Literacy-Related Knowledge Of The Children In Two Western Australian Preprimary Centres And The Literacy-Related Practices In Their Homes, Susan M. Beilharz

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigates both the literacy-related knowledge of two groups of children beginning their preprimary education and the literacy-related practices identified by their parents as taking place in their homes. The two groups of children were attending preprimary centres located in different suburbs of Perth; one was in a low socio-economic status northern suburb and the other was in a high socio-economic status inner metropolitan suburb. The results of a questionnaire about family literacy practices showed that there was a wide range of literacy-related practices and materials available in the majority of the households involved in the study. The results …

Development And Evaluation Of A Scaffolding Guide To Help Lower Secondary Science Students Use The Internet To Search For, Select And Organise Information For The Construction Of Personal Text, Andrea Tunks

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scaffolding guide to help lower secondary students use the internet to search for and organise information for the construction of personal text. An intact Year 10 science class participated in the study. Data were collected using the scaffolding guide completed by students, work samples, a questionnaire designed to elicit from students their perceptions about the research guide, observational notes made by the researcher and debriefing interviews conducted with the teacher and with a group of students. The study identified the skills needed by students to search for and select …

Effects Of Physical Appearance On Year 7 Students' Perceptions Of The Intellectual And Social Competence Of Their Peers, Helen Walmsley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study was designed to investigate the effects of (a) the presence of an obvious disability, (b) physical attractiveness, and (c) the sex of peers on children's attitudes towards accepting a peer. A 2 X 2 x 2 factorial design was used in which the three between-subject variables were (a) whether or not the subject had a disability, {b) whether the subject was attractive or unattractive, and (c) the sex of the respondent. A sample of 200 Year 7 students was divided into four groups containing 25 girls and 25 boys. The students were given background information, and shown a …

Crosslinguistic Influence In The Speech Of Hungarian-English Bilinguals, Valerie Kollmann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study is written in an attempt to report on factors that affect language transfer between Hungarian and English and on the extent 1.1 and 1.2 lexical elements are integrated into the speech in either language. An attempt is made to classify the functions of the integrated lexical elements. Furthermore, it is hypothesised that transfer could be interpreted as a production strategy. Data collection included a questionnaire and audio recording of interviews and observations of eleven bilingual participants involved in problem solving tasks.

Teaching And Learning In Higher Education : Nurturing Critical Reflection For Bridging Theory/Practice Links : A Case Study In Social Work Education, Gary Keith Ovington

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The 1990s has witnessed two 'institutions' in 'crisis': higher education and social work. In higher education. government has brandished its quality sword and the long-neglected area of teaching is prominent in the war cry. In social work, major stakeholders have constructed the crisis as the 'theory/practice problematic' and the systemic intervention has been the prima facie increasing power of non-academic bodies to shape social work curriculum. This study is set within this context of quality teaching and theory/practice issues. It is an action research study of the teaching and learning dynamic of a first year social work subject which seeks …

The Response Of Secondary Students From Non-English Speaking Backgrounds To A Visual Arts Course, Jean O. Aitken

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Interest in multiculturalism has been expressed by educators for a number of years. Much of the literature concerning multiculturalism in visual arts education calls for the adoption of a culturally inclusive curricula in order to meet the needs of all students. In his consideration of conceptions of curriculum, Eisner (1988) made reference to a preferred body of knowledge which often excludes students from minority groups within society. Many Australian schools are experiencing increases in enrolments of students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). These students may themselves be immigrants or the children of one or both parents born in another country. …

Barbadian Teachers' Personal Practical Knowledge About Advocated Pedagogic Practices Used In The Education Of The Under-Fives, Sonja M. Anderson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study investigated the personal practical knowledge of twenty-one Barbadian teachers in relation to a range of pedagogic practices advocated for use in the education of children under five years of age. The investigation of this knowledge was based on an interpretative perspective. The conceptual underpinning was framed by Personal Construct Psychology (Kelly, 1995), and its methodology, the repertory grid technique. The grid was formulated and used in a sample of schools with under-fives. Findings were clarified, confirmed and elaborated by the use of in-depth interviews conducted with teachers in their classroom settings. The findings revealed that teachers construed pedagogic …

Teacher Receptivity To System Wide Change: The Introduction Of Student Outcome Statements In Secondary Schools In Western Australia, Rose Moroz

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The study has three aims. One is to investigate teachers’ receptivity to the use of Student Outcome Statements in Western Australian government secondary schools. The dependent variable is receptivity towards the use of Student Outcome Statements and is measured in four aspects: Overall Feelings, Attitudes, Behaviour Intentions and Behaviour. Two is to investigate the relationships between receptivity, as the dependent variable and ten independent variables: non-monetary cost benefits, alleviation of fears and concerns, significant other support, feelings compared to the previous system, shared goals (shared teaching goals and cohesiveness), collaboration (team teaching, involvement in decision making and teacher collaboration) and …

Notions Of Justice Through Drama, Elvira Sammut

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This paper explores and describes the lived-experience of a group of 16-year-old girls in a drama class designed to heighten awareness of values of social justice. The students involved are experienced drama students, with a good knowledge of the theory of role-play and play-making, as well as, sound dramatic skills and techniques. The lived-experience provided the source for the research study that used film as a medium to inculcate notions of justice and equity in the classroom through self-devised drama. Phenomenological research was conducted with a group of seventeen Year II drama students. The students took part in a series …

Visual Arts History And Visual Arts Criticism : Applications In Middle Schooling, Lisa Paris

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Visual arts history and criticism occupy central positions in visual arts curriculum statements in Western Australia. This status is sustained by the belief that the study of visual arts history and criticism actively contributes to the education of the student as a "whole person". In reality however, rather than attending to the holistic education of students, the application of visual arts history and criticism in Western Australian schools tends to be pragmatic and instrumental - visual arts teachers often use visual art works as "learning aids" because they don't have time, interest or experience in dealing with visual arts works …

Analysis Of Technology Plans Of Selected Suburban Elementary Schools Within Regional Office Of Education/North Cook Intermediate Service Center #1, Diane V. Ettelbrick

Masters Theses

Technology continues to be a topic of great interest and concern in the educational community. The educational system is responsible for preparing students so that they can function successfully in life and work in the world of today and tomorrow. The interest and concern regarding technology in the educational setting has spread in recent years to include the sectors of business and politics. East Maine School District No. 63, where the author of this study is employed as a Library/Media Specialist, has not developed a formal technology plan as recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education. The purpose of …

Reasons For Home Schooling As Cited By Selected Parents In Central Illinois, Douglas A. Taylor

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the specific reasons the home-schooling option was chosen by some parents in central Illinois. The number of parents who home school their children has increased significantly in recent years. Understanding the motives behind parents' decisions can provide important information on the home-schooling movement and these parents' perceptions about public education. By knowing the reasons the home-schooling option was selected, legislators, public school educators, and parents can initiate any changes that may be warranted.

The study took place in the fall of 1998 utilizing a survey instrument that was developed using information gleaned …

Teacher Feedback Regarding Principal Performance, Dee A. Scott

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to address the need for teacher feedback regarding principal performance at Casey-Westfield Community Unit School District C-4. It examined current uses of critical elements and determined which elements should be used to compose a model program utilizing teacher feedback regarding principal performance. A program which could be used in District C-4 to provide teacher feedback to principals regarding their performance was developed. The program was developed by determining (a) applicable critical elements, (b) type of feedback to be obtained, (c) procedures for administration of the program, (d) procedures for assessment of data, (e) selection of facilitator, …