Education Commons^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

The Effects Of Music And Clothing On Youths' Ideological Development, Troy Turner

Theses and Dissertations

With adults such as sociologists, psychologists, public officials, and laypeople looking for answers into building more cordial racial relations, a key could be to see how white people's exposure to black culture facilitates such relationships. 65 white males between the age of 16-21 years old, who identified as preferring the music and clothing style of hip hop/r&b, were compared to 58 white males 16- 21 years old, who did not indicate such a preference.

The Morrison Scale of Attitudes on Black and White Relations (M.S.A.B.W.R.), which measures for comfort with integration, and the Anxiety of African Americans Scale were used. …

A Study Of The Impact Of The Picture Exchange Communication System On Verbal Language And Stereotypic Behavior In Preschool Children With Autism, Theresa Caratozzolo

Theses and Dissertations

The Picture Exchange Communication System was designed to give children with autism, developmental disorders, and social-communication disorders a way to communicate with the world around them. It is a picture based communication device that puts emphasis on the child initiating interactions. PECS utilizes many behavioral teaching techniques such as shaping, fading, backward chaining, and delayed prompting to teach children to make requests and communicate with others.

Even with the emphasis on spontaneous interactions without the use of speech, verbal language is likely to develop as a secondary outcome for those children who have the ability to develop and use speech. …

Using "Social Stories" To Enhance The Social And Behavior Skills Of Preschool Children With Autism Or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Amy F. Wiesen

Theses and Dissertations

Autistic or Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) children may exhibit impairments with communication skills, social skills, and cognitive skills. A treatment strategy called social stories may be an effective visual aid that provides individuals with autism/PDD accurate information regarding situations they encounter or skills they are working on. This thesis examined whether the use of social stories would increase the academic, social, and behavior skills of autistic/PDD children. A study was conducted over a three month period on three preschool students from the Bancroft Preschool. The purpose of writing a social story for each child was to teach the students to …

Social And Emotional Effects Of Inclusion In Special Education And Inclusion Classes, Ava Boyce

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine whether students with learning disabilities benefited socially and emotionally from inclusion placement when compared to placement in a special education class.

Forty-eight high school students were included in a 17 item attitude scale questionnaire which measured their motivation toward school as well as their self-esteem. Students were surveyed from two inclusion and two special education classes. A second questionnaire measured the attitudes of three special education teachers and three regular education teachers.

The data was analyzed by evaluating the frequency distribution for each question and then comparing the inclusion group to the special education group. …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Benefits And Challenges Of Instruction In Collaborative And Resource Room Settings, Dawn M. Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to pinpoint problems special education teachers face in resource centers and collaborative classes. With this information, teachers will be able to instruct their students with a higher degree of success. In this study of special education teachers who instruct in both a collaborative team-teaching class and a resource center, educators were asked to list and explain the challenges they face in each setting, and how they compared with one another. Special education teachers completed open-ended surveys, as did regular education teachers who teach collaborative classes. Teachers reported that their biggest challenges in both settings were time constraints …

Resolving Conflict Through Peer Mediation, Scott A. Heino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop and conduct a peer mediation program in the upper elementary grades at the Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School in order to reduce conflict among students and increase the students' ability to resolve conflicts. An action research methodology was implemented to support a school environment conducive to learning with minimum instances of conflict.

The site of the study is the Elizabeth Haddon Elementary School in Haddonfield, NJ. The population of the study involves all upper elementary students at the school. The population of the study includes 25 staff members as well as the 180 …

A Correlational Study Between The Adolescent And Adult Self Concept Retrospective Scale And The Inferred Rating Scale, Patricia A. Coley

Theses and Dissertations

If it is to be believed that self-concept can be inferred from behavior, that an individual perceives himself based upon how others see him and behaves according, then it can be assumed that the development of one's self-concept can be influenced by significant individuals such as teachers, school counselors and school administrators.

It is noted that students with negative self-concepts may become high risk for learning problems. The self-concept can predict academic success or failures.

This study will look at 30 students classified Learning Disabled from a South Jersey High School, and how they perceive themselves compared with the teacher's …

Visual-Motor Integration Training And Its Effects On Self-Help Skills In Preschool Students With Disabilities, Kimberley L. Maneval

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether structured visual-motor integration training activities aid in the acquisition and refinement of self-help skills in preschool children with disabilities. Research has shown that visual-motor integration training can be beneficial in the remediation of some reading and math difficulties, however, not all researchers agree on the merits of structured training for young children. The experimental group for this study received twenty-three visual-motor integration training sessions over the course of thirteen weeks, in addition to the regular visual-motor integration training activities presented in the regular daily curriculum. The control group only received visual-motor …

A Validation Study For The Use Of The Adolescent And Adult Self-Concept Retrospective Scale For Emotionally Disturbed Adolescents, Stephanie D. Frasier

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the Adolescent and Adult Self-concept Retrospective Scale (AASRS) for use with emotionally disturbed adolescents. To determine validity, scores on a behavioral rating scale, the Behavioral Dimensions Rating Scale (BDRS), completed by a teacher or teacher's assistant were correlated to scores on the AASRS. It was thought that if there was a high congruence between the scores on the two measures the AASRS would be validated.

The sample in this study consisted of 29 dually diagnosed adolescents that attended a school for special needs students. All subjects were between 13 …

The Effect Of Participation In A Preshool Disabilities Class On Future Academic Placement, Barbara E. Zuber

Theses and Dissertations

This research hypothesized that students who received help in a preschool disabilities program would be less likely to remain classified as eligible for special education services. The study looked at eleven children who had previously attended a preschool disabilities program. It was found that seven of the eleven children were still classified in special education. The functioning of the students was examined based on their scores on the BASC(Behavior Assessment Scale for Children) Teacher Rating scale. It was found that the majority of students scored high in the area of learning problems and had low scores in study skills. These …

Tae Kwon Do Achievement And Locus Of Control, Michael Sansone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to show that children who reach high ranks in Tae Kwon Do taught in a traditional manner will have a greater propensity towards an internal locus of control. The psychological legacy of Tae Kwon Do is in tune with many aspects of Rotter's Locus of control theory. In the words of the president of the Pan American Martial Arts Union, Chang K. Kwak, "Through the martial arts we learn control and that control can be applied to all areas of life. Success is not measured in a set of short term goals... Learning is …

Examining The Locus Of Control Of Hispanic Students Involved In A Hispanic Self-Esteem Program And Its Association With Academic Achievement, William Edward Beltran

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify the locus of control of two participating Hispanic groups; students that belong to a proctored Hispanic organization/club and students that do not belong to a proctored Hispanic organization/club. Then, pair the locus of control of each group with their corresponding level of academic achievement. It was hypothesized that Hispanic students belonging to a proctored Hispanic organization/club would have a greater frequency of internal locus of control and they would exhibit a higher level of academic achievement.

Fifty-four High school students, ages 16-19, were given the Rotter Internal/External locus of control scale. A …

A Validity Study Of The Joseph Self Concept Scale For Young Children, Patricia A. Lemke

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between a student's self concept as compared with the teacher's evaluation of the student. The study used the Joseph Self Concept Scale for Young Children, a self-report, and the Behavioral Academic Self Esteem Evaluation, which was completed by the students' teachers. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive correlation between the two tests. Analysis of the data showed a positive correlation, however, the correlation was not significant.

The population tested consisted of 82 students from an urban school district. Thirty-five of the students tested were female and forty-seven …

A Validity Study For The Revision Of The Joseph Self-Concept Scale For Young Children, Patricia C. Colna

Theses and Dissertations

This project was a validity study for the purpose of assisting in the development of national norms for the revision of the Joseph Self-Concept Scale for Young Children (JSSYC). The study consisted of 60 pre-school children, ages 3-5 years of age, 30 in a low socio-economic family and 30 in a higher socio-economic family. The students were given the JSSYC which consists of 21 questions. One teacher rated the children on the Social Skills Rating Survey (SSRS), including the Behavioral Section. The results were significant with the prediction of the study. Those children whose self-concept rated high on one of …

An Internship In School Business Administration In The Camden City Public Schools, Camden, New Jersey, 1998-1999, Donna M. Houston

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the implementation of a computerized food service system would improve the present financial and management conditions of the district's food service department, by eliminating costly mistakes that repeatedly requires the district to repay monies to the government.

During the initial stage of the project, food service directors from various school districts in New Jersey were instructed to complete a survey to determine the effectiveness of using a computerized system. Data gathered from these districts indicated that the use of computers in school food service departments can greatly enhance the management and …

A Comparison Of Two Methods For Teaching Art And Their Influences On Students' Creativity, Marilyn Ross Isaacs

Theses and Dissertations

In 1984, the Getty Center for Education in the Arts initiated a program called Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE), which offered new criteria for teaching art. The basic aim of DBAE was to introduce additional disciplines into an art education program, with an emphasis placed on the teaching of art history, art criticism and aesthetics. To date, no true supportive data has been found substantiating the effectiveness of the DBAE program.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine two different methods of teaching art and their impact on students' artistic learning. Two intact fifth grade classes participated in a …

Generational And Gender Differences In Response To Traditional Male And Female Personality Characteristics, Tricia M. Cirineo

Theses and Dissertations

There are many stereotypes pertaining to what is a typical male and typical female characteristic. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in attitudes towards these characteristics between two different generations. Many theorists feel that masculine and feminine characteristics are on opposite poles of a continuous spectrum, while others feel it is possible to possess both masculine and feminine characteristics, termed androgyny. The Bem Sex Role Inventory, the measure utilized in the present study, was developed to measure masculine and feminine characteristics, as well as the concept of androgyny (Bem, 1974).

The sample in this study consisted …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control, Gender, And Academic Achievement, Helene Eksterowicz

Theses and Dissertations

This study intended to look at the relationship between locus of control, gender, and academic achievement. The following variables were used: Rotter's I-E scale, Trice's Academic Locus of Control Scale, gender, and college GPA/grades. A sample of 59 subjects (36 female, 23 male) were obtained from the Rowan University student body and each were given the two scales. Six hypotheses were tested using correlational statistics such as the Pearson r, independent t-test, and analysis of means. Results found that a positive relationship existed between Rotter's and Trice's scales. It was also found that although no relationship existed between Rotter's scale …