Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Early Screening On Preschool Children Attending Camden City Head Start, Beverly M. Clement

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive published research supports comprehensive preschool programs for children and their families, especially for "At Risk" populations often found within inner cities. Programs such as Head Start prepare children for school entrance, provide them with a caring and nurturing environment and empower families with the skills and resources necessary for successful living. The Camden County Council On Economic Opportunity (CCCOEO, Inc.), grantee for the Camden County, New Jersey Head Start Program, provides comprehensive services for "At Risk" preschool children, ages three to five.

Starting in September 1998 to March 1999, sixty-seven preschoolers attending various CCCOEO Head Start Centers were given …

A Correlation Study Of Learning Preferences And Attitudes Towards Computers In Fourth Grade Students, Laura C. Garofalo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if specific learning style preferences were related to fourth grade elementary students' attitudes towards computers in the classroom. Subjects were twenty-six students in a fourth grade class in an affluent suburban district. Subjects were given two self-report instruments to measure their learning style preferences and attitudes towards computers. The Learning Combination Inventory (LCI), developed by Dr. Christine Johnston of Rowan University, was used to determine learning style preferences. The Technology Attitude Assessment Survey (TAAS), developed for the University of the State of New York, measured attitudes towards computer usage in the classroom. …

A Study Of The Effectiveness Of Peer Tutoring On Mathematics Achievement Of Fifth Grade Students, Kareem J. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of a peer tutoring program in mathematics on the academic achievement level of fifth grade students. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant difference in the mathematics achievement level of fifth grade students who participated in a peer tutoring program than in the mathematics achievement level of fifth grade students who do not participate in a peer tutoring program in mathematics.

The study was a quasi-experimental design consisting of students in two fifth grade classrooms. Twenty-three students from each classroom participated in the study. One …

The Effect Of Cooperative Learning On The Spelling Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students, Elisabeth Henjes

Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to study the effect of cooperative learning instructional strategies as compared to traditional spelling instruction on fourth grade achievement in spelling. Comparisons were made between the spelling achievement of thirteen fourth grade students when they were taught by cooperative learning strategies and the spelling achievement of these same fourth grade students when they were taught by traditional spelling instructional methods. The cooperative learning instructional methods used were a combination of Classwide Peer Tutoring and Student Teams-Achievement Division (STAD). To control for certain variables a second treatment of traditional spelling instructional methods was implemented after the cooperative …

The Impact Of A Peer Mediation Program On The Reduction Of Suspensions Caused By Violence, Donna L. Covely

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined the effectiveness of the peer mediation program at Deptford Township High School, grades 9 through 12, in reducing student discipline problems. Furthermore, the study determined that peer mediation prevented further disputes and/or resolved current misunderstandings, that the disputants were able to resolve their differences constructively, and that mediation prevented disputes from developing into more serious matters. It determined that peer mediation helped to reduce student violence, lowered suspension rates, required less administrative time spent on discipline, and provided a more peaceful school environment.

There was no sample for this study. Any at-risk student in grades 9 through …

The Overall Effectiveness Of A Peer Mediation Program At Millville Senior High School And The Development Of A Peer Mediation/Advisory Program For A Middle School, Kyriakos M. Evrenoglou

Theses and Dissertations

The first purpose of the study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of a peer mediation student assistance program. The means to accomplish the purpose of the study was to investigate the overall attendance, verbal, and physical interpersonal conflict among tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students at Millville Senior High School during the 1995-1996 and 1997-1998 school calendar years. A quantitative ex post facto design was employed. In addition, a subcommittee of stakeholders was developed to collaboratively develop a plan that would extend the goals and potential benefits associated with peer mediation programs in the future Lakeside Middle School …

An Internship In Elementary School Administration At The Mary S. Shoemaker School, Woodstown, New Jersey, 1998-1999, Christine H. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine strengths and weaknesses in communication between teachers and the CST and to identify ways to improve that communication using action research.

Data was gathered by having 19 regular education teachers complete surveys regarding their feelings in respect to communication with the CST, guidance counselors, special education teachers, and other regular education teachers. Members of the CST, the guidance counselors and the special education teachers were interviewed regarding the communication process, and follow up interviews were also conducted with in-class support (ICS) teachers regarding the survey results. The survey and interview data was analyzed according …

An Impact Study Of The Positive Benefits Of A Technology Course On Students' Critical Thinking Skills, Jerry J. Marinacci

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the positive benefits to students enrolled in the new Applied Technology course offered at Bridgeton High School. The intern wishes to determine if the course has enhanced students' ability in critical skills such as: communicating, teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking.

The study will focus on students' ability to define and solve real world problems as presented in a high school technology laboratory. The design of the study was based on qualitative research of students' ability to identify criteria, develop possible solutions and solve problems of a technical nature based on pre-test …

Assessing The Level Of Effective Communication In Schools, Amiot P. Michel

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of communication which exists in the elementary schools in the Millville School District. Miliville is currently in the process of developing Lakeside Middle School. Lakeside Middle School will be composed of staff members from the three K-7 elementary schools and the current 5th and 6th grade students in the six elementary schools.

Surveys were developed to assess the effectiveness of the communication systems currently existing in the six schools. Surveys were then distributed to the six elementary school principals, future staff members, and the parents of the 5th and 6th …

Combination Of Heterogeneous And Homogeneous Grouping To Achieve Better Reading And Math Scores, Diane R. Cioffi-Longo

Theses and Dissertations

This report described the process used, for an elementary school with a student population of approximately 587 students, to investigate the existing reading and math programs offered to students. The preliminary research indicated a need for an extended staff development program, and the implementation of advanced methodologies. The conclusions of the project, as a whole, provided data which emphasizes the need for growth in reading and math pedagogy awareness with the district of Glassboro.

Purposed preliminary investigation strategies included; (a) interviews with reading and math teachers, regular homeroom teachers, and teachers in other academic disciplines; (b) a review of documents …

A Risky Business: A Study Of Retention, Sue H. Kinsey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program of remediation and academic mentoring on the academic success of students failing grade seven who were placed in grade eight. The study was conducted in the Clearview Regional Middle School during the summer preceding and including the 1998-99 academic year.

Data was gathered from test scores, mid-marking period progress reports, marking period grade reports, summer session teacher reports and interviews, and weekly and monthly classroom teacher reports. Information was also provided through parent, teacher, and student questionnaires. The data was analyzed using percentiles to …

A Model For Instructional Change: An Approach In Inquiry-Based Science Education, Kimberly Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study to describe the effectiveness of a change model on schools implementing an inquiry-based science program. Findings indicated that a model incorporating input from all of the stakeholders in the learning community and offering training and continuous support realized the most sustained and successful implementation. The model used included training upon request, turnkey trainers, parent meetings, teacher input on instruction, principal meetings, and opportunities to revise the program within the school year. Teachers, parents, and principals were surveyed and interviewed throughout the implementation. This data determined the focus of the training and support. The study was …

Assessing The Effects Of Exposure To Multicultural Learning On A School Population With Limited Diversity, Lynda Anderson-Towns

Theses and Dissertations

This Master's project was designed to assess the effects of infusing various multicultural activities in a rural school with limited diversity. It focused on integrating monthly multicultural activities into the curriculum of first grade students to increase their sensitivity and appreciation of diversity.

The study utilized qualitative data gathered through surveys, interviews and observations completed at Dennis Township Elementary School. The first grade students were exposed to a series of multicultural activities which included storytelling, mini-lessons and cultural presentation throughout a six month time span. Students' attitudes toward diversity were measured by pre-test and post-test surveys preceding and subsequent to …

Reform: In Search Of A Rationale, Ada R. Barlatt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of the Core Curriculum Content Standards at Pleasantville. The district, a special needs (Abbott district), receives 85% of its funding from the state, therefore, must provide all children with a "Thorough and Efficient" education.

Two separate groups of students were studied. One group represented the current students in grade 10 and the second group represented the current students in grade 9. Also included in the study were teachers, counselors, administrators and employers.

The overall approach in this study was to use several methods to investigate the effects on a local …

Alternative Assessment, Katy Cosgrove

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to change the way teachers assess students in the mathematics classroom. The teachers worked to find alternative assessment activities that gave students the opportunity to solve problems related to real-life application, allowing for a greater understanding of topics. The alternative assessment program involved many members of the mathematics department at Gateway Regional High School. Teachers were surveyed about alternative assessment before and after they used alternative assessment in the classroom. The conclusions of the study accomplished the goal of making teachers aware of alternative assessment and how it can be implemented into the classroom …

Encouraging Positive Behavior At The Elementary School Level, Maureen Czbas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to develop a behavior management program that addressed ways to eliminate infractions that interfered with the students' learning process. This addition to the curriculum did not eliminate the district's discipline policy but instilled in the student body an awareness of social expectations. It was hoped that the awareness gave students the opportunity to acquire the behaviors that were socially acceptable in school and in society.

The new program engaged the total educational family of staff, students, parents, and administrators. It was built on structure and harmony, allowing for flexibility of classroom instruction. The program, …

An Evaluation Of The Klark's Kids Program For At-Risk Students, Joann Dekatch-Smith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe and assess the effectiveness of the Klark's Kids program for at-risk students in Grades 7 and 8 in the Pittsgrove Township Middle School Annex by using an action research design.

The subject sample included thirty-three identifiable at-risk students in September 1998. Of this group, only five or six students attended due to the voluntary nature of the program. Forty-two new students were identified in the month of October. Of the eighteen who attended, only twelve to fifteen students came on a regular basis. Evaluation procedures included grades, standardized test scores, grade point …

Character Education, Patricia S. Friend

Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this project was to develop and implement a character education program at the Upper Township Elementary School. This intern has endeavored to develop and implement a character education program at the Upper Township Elementary School in an attempt to improve interpersonal relations. This intern created a resource manual for teachers, assisted in the training necessary to implement this program, collected and analyzed data evaluating the effectiveness of the program.

During the duration of this research study, the intern developed and refined several leadership competencies in the area of school administration. This intern effectively applied human relations skills …

Evaluating The Impact Of Block Scheduling, John Joseph Hourani

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and describe the effectiveness of a 4x4 semester block schedule with respect to academic achievement, discipline, attendance and the school climate of Penns Grove High School. A longitudinal trend study design was utilized to compare statistics from the school's first two years under the block schedule to the school's final two years of the traditional schedule. Such statistics include the frequency of students obtaining A's, F's, and honor roll status, as well as monthly attendance rates, and discipline referral counts. Additionally, a modified action research design is used to examine the new …

Case Study On Mainland Regional High School's Pilot Program On Block Scheduling, Matthew A. Jamison

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to discover and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of block scheduling at Mainland Regional High School. The major focal point of this case study was the perceptions on block scheduling of teachers, students, and parents.

This study blends the richness of qualitative research with the range of quantitative research. Approximately 180 sophomore students participated in the pilot program. Four teachers volunteered to teach the classes in the pilot program. The students completed a pre and post survey. At the conclusion of the first semester, random students were chosen to be interviewed. All the …

Assessing The Effect Of Increased Student Accountability And Parental Involvement On Student Attendance At Middle Township High School, Gladys Lauriello

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined what effect increasing student accountability through a series of pre-set consequences enforced on a "zero tolerance" basis, coupled with increased parent involvement through prompt communication regarding all student absences and tardy arrivals, would have on attendance. The study was held at Middle Township High School in southern New Jersey, a semi-rural school of grades 9-12 with a student population of approximately 1,000, most of whom drive or ride a school bus. The data was assembled during the first semester of the 1998-99 school year. The study, which measured attendance, both lateness and absence, through surveys and statistical …

An Interdisciplinary Approach To Integrated Curriculum, Lynda Kozicz Leahey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach to teaching mathematics and science, specifically Geometry and Biology. The study used an action research design in which two teachers participated in a planned interdisciplinary activity that involved 160 high school students. The site of this study was a high school located in a middle-class, rural-suburban community. Data was gathered using a concept map to measure the amount of conceptual understanding students have of the relationship between Geometry and Biology. Data of those students who were enrolled in both Geometry and Biology were compared to those …

The Role Of A School Business Administrator: Perspectives Of A Role Incumbent And His Role Set, Stephen J. Lynch

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared the perceptions held by a school business administrator for his position with the perceptions of his principal role set.

Interviews were held with the school business administrator and 17 members of his role set to determine perceptions of the role expectations and actual role performance. For each question on the role set interview instrument, frequency distributions were constructed and then converted into relative frequency distributions expressed as percentages.

The interview data was used to compare role expectation and role performance as perceived by the role incumbent; to compare role expectations and role performance as perceived by the …

Has Technology In The Elementary Classroom Caused Instruction To Improve?, Denise Mcdermott

Theses and Dissertations

This study described and evaluated the extent to which technology has improved instruction, and thus improved student learning, in elementary schools in Deptford Township, a K-12 district. The study included all K-6 grade teachers. A 31-item survey was completed by 85% of elementary school teachers. Percentages of answers were mathematically calculated and lists of software programs and student systems for computer use were compiled. The majority of elementary teachers described their level of expertise regarding technology as "able to manage as long as everything runs correctly". The results reveal a high dissatisfaction with the type and amount of technology training …

Middle School Discipline: In Need Of Solutions, Robin L. Moore-Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract available.

A Study And Intervention Of Excessive Absenteeism At Bridgeton High School, Sandra H. Myers

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate reasons that students were absent and to study policies or programs that could help decrease absenteeism for students. The intern used an action research design by surveying students and interviewing teachers. The sample cluster in this study consisted of the students attending the Summer Credit Completion Program at Bridgeton High School. The population in which inferences were made was the student body at Bridgeton High School. The information, however, can be generalized to any special needs high school or one that is comparable in socioeconomic status.

The intern looked at three areas …

Collaborative Teaching Relationships And The Inclusion Of Sixth Grade Students, Richard C. Panas

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of implementing inclusion within a collaborative teaching framework in the sixth grade using an action research design. Based on the parameters set forth in a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP), the schedule to determine if a student's goals and objectives are being met is measured quarterly by report card. Ultimately, whether or not a student achieves the minimum level of proficiency as outlined in the IEP for social studies, science, mathematics, and language arts serves as the benchmark for determining whether or not the student's placement is appropriate. …

Developing And Implementing A Daily Schedule Which Promotes Professional Collaboration And Meets The Needs Of The Students At The Lakeside Middle School In Millvile, New Jersey, Scott M. Sheppard

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this report was to develop and plan a daily schedule which promotes professional collaboration and meets the needs of the students at the new Lakeside Middle School. A properly structured schedule contains the organizational elements for delivering the curriculum to meet the needs of the students.

This research program involved the students in grades 6, 7 and 8. The students and staff are housed in four different schools throughout the district. A commercial building has been converted into the first true middle school (grades 6-8) in the history of the district. The school opens in September of …

Improving Student Bus Behavior In An Elementary School Through The Use Of Video Cameras And An Incentive Program, Mary L. Steinhauer-Kula

Theses and Dissertations

This report focuses on two strategies used to improve student behavior on school buses at Silver Run School, an elementary school in Millville, New Jersey. The purpose of this comparative study was to determine whether or not the use of video cameras on school buses and the implementation of the "Best Bus" program, a behavior incentive program, leads to improved student behavior as measured by fewer discipline referrals. Two consecutive school years, 1997-1998 and 1998-1999, were studied. In the 1997-1998 school year, neither strategy was utilized, while both were implemented in the 1998-1999 school year. In addition to the quantitative …

World Language Program In Elementary Schools, Claire S. Whittaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover and evaluate the effectiveness of a World Language Program on the elementary students of St. James Regional School using a schoolwide action research design. This study's result were formulated into an evaluation to parents, teachers, and administrations on the progress of a FLES Language Program.

This project took place at a small Catholic elementary school consisting of the students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. This school is small and located in an economically depressed area. There is little exposure to foreign language in the community and none has been taught in the …