Education Commons^™

Does Learning Style Instruction Have A Positive Effect On Academic Achievement In The First Grade?, Nancy D. Rosenberg, Pamela M. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of learning style instruction when implemented in a typical first grade classroom setting. The study was designed to determine if the use of several learning style methodologies would produce an increase in academic achievement.

Two regular first grade classes were used as the Study and Control Groups. Each student in the Study Group was surveyed to discover possible learning styles present within the group. For approximately six months, the Study Group received instruction which was modified, wherever possible, to allow for each student's individual needs. During this period, the Control …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Teacher Stress And Pupil Control Ideology, Genevieve Nichole Pacitti

Theses and Dissertations

Education is a priority in our society. Teacher stress has been identified as a disruptive factor toward productiveness within the classroom. Pupil control ideology has been seen in educational literature as a teacher characteristic affecting individual stress levels of teachers. The purpose of this study was to investigate: the relationship between teachers' pupil control orientation and five factors of teacher stress; the relationship between years of teaching experience and perceived job-induced stress; and the relationship between gender and pupil-control orientation. Data was collected through two questionnaire surveys and an information sheet. Subjects were 72 full-time secondary Catholic school teachers. Analyses …

The Impact Of An In-Class Support Program On Regular And Special Education Teachers, Cheryl A. Marino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of an in-class support program on teachers. The subjects of this study were six pairs of teachers consisting of one regular educator and one special educator. To solicit participation, cover letters and a narrative survey instrument were mailed to each of the twelve educators. The responses were analyzed using content analysis. Most responses provided positive feedback on in-class support programs. There are some concerns for future implementation of these programs.

The Effectiveness Of Prereferral Interventions Through Pupil Assistance Committees On Academic And Behavioral Needs Of Students, Barbara G. Fletcher

Theses and Dissertations

The general purpose of the study was to determine if prereferral interventions, through a PAC team, were effective in adding to the ability of a school to respond to a broad range of students' academic and behavioral needs. The population of this study consisted of 31 students. These fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students were referred to their elementary school's PAC team for behavioral and academic needs. PAC records were analyzed for information including the problems and reasons for referral, the goals of the teachers, suggested interventions, the results of each meeting, and the success of the interventions. Both a …

A Study Of The Effects Of In-Class Support On Math Performance Of Regular Education Students, Classified Special Education Students, And At-Risk Students, Susan Wenger

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to service special needs students, service delivery models have progressed from self contained classrooms and separate facilities for special needs children to resource center pull-out programs, in-class support, mainstreaming, and full inclusion.

The in-class support model, which provides a special educator or aide in the regular classroom, attempts to enhance the academic success of identified special education students in such placements.

This study focused on the effects of in-class support. The population consisted of 76 7 to 9 year old math students in a New Jersey school district. Curriculum-based pre and posttest math scores achieved by regular …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Special Education Emotional Support Behaviorally Disordered Students And Their Moral Reasoning, Frank G. Iacobucci

Theses and Dissertations

Very few studies have examined moral reasoning in students identified as having behavioral disorders and enrolled in a special education setting. Little attention has been paid to the impact of interventional education programs designed for behaviorally disordered youth on moral reasoning development. The research examined the moral reasoning of behaviorally disordered adolescents enrolled in a self-contained high school setting. The results indicate that behaviorally disordered emotional support high school students are significantly lower in moral reasoning compared to their nonbehaviorally disordered peers. The development of moral reasoning has been considered an important component of both social and cognitive growth in …

Correlational Study On Reading Readiness And Reading Achievement Test Scores, Josephine A. Morales

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between Reading Readiness and Reading Achievement Test scores. Reading Readiness was associated with higher Reading Achievement.

Three schools in a low socio-economic section of an inner city school district provided the sample used in this study. The sample consisted of thirty-five Limited English Proficient Students (17 boys and 18 girls). All children were of Hispanic heritage.

The Reading Readiness and Reading Achievement Test scores were compared and analyzed. A Spearman's rho correlational coefficient was used to measure and describe the relationship between both reading test scores.

The analysis …

Comparison Of Two Approaches In Teaching Reading To Limited English Proficient Students And Their Academic Achievement, Gloria Cruz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine which of two instructional approaches. Whole-Language or Distar (Direct Instruction), was more effective in producing higher levels of academic achievement in bilingual first grade students. It was predicted that the bilingual students receiving instruction through the Whole-Language approach would demonstrate higher academic achievement than those receiving instruction through the Distar approach.

A Pre and Post District Skills Inventory Test for reading (Communication Arts) was administered to the students in each instructional approach group. There were nine students in each group. The resulting scores were analyzed statistically using a t test design for …

Factors Relating To Successful Placement In A Minimal Supervision Program For Mentally Retarded Adults, Scott Rahl

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine what characteristics are significant in determining successful adjustment to residence in a minimal supervision apartment program for mentally challenged adults. The subjects consisted of nine women and four men, all of whom are mentally deficient to varying degrees, and four of whom suffer from mental illness as well. The subjects range in age from 22 to 76 with a mean age of 43. The subjects intellectual functioning levels, as determined by their psychological evaluations, were examined along with the rate at which they completed daily living tasks as detailed by their Individual …

Sensory Stimulation During The Prewriting Stages Of Creative Writing, Randy G. Yarwasky

Theses and Dissertations

Written expression is becoming more and more important in the language arts classrooms of America. Research has shown that sensory stimulation can help students access previously encoded experiences. These encoded representations are viable material to be used in the creative writing process. Fifth grade level 11 readers from Lower Township Elementary School District were employed in this study to determine the role of sensory experience in the language classroom. Students were read a selection and then received either visual stimulation, audio stimulation, audiovisual stimulation, or a control treatment. Hypotheses were that students who received stimulation would preform significantly better on …

Profile Of Adolescent Depression, Mary E. Delcorio

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine specific factors related to adolescents diagnosed with major depression, admitted to an inpatient adolescent mental health unit. The specific factors are birth order, family stability, history of drug and/or alcohol abuse and gender. There were 31 subjects in this study, ages 11 to 17 years. Of these subjects, 18 were female and 13 were male. The data collected was ex post facto. From the subjects' charts, gender, age, birth order, family stability and history of drug and/or alcohol abuse were obtained. This data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, mostly percentages. The results …

A Study Of The Effects Of A Social Problem Solving Intervention With Emotionally Disturbed Youth At A Special Services School, Wendy E. Sack

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this pretest-posttest descriptive study was to examine the efficacy of a SPS training intervention for emotionally disturbed children in the special education system, with respect to social skills acquisition, family environment, reduction in non-compliant behaviors and sociometric status. Participants included eighteen students in four self-contained classrooms of a Special Services Regional Day School. The sample included one white female, eleven white males, three black and three Hispanic males with a mean age of eleven years and ten months.

All classes were exposed to a six month program with lessons from the Readiness Phase of Elias and Clabby's …

Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Youth At Risk For Low Self-Esteem And Depression, Lynne M. Rossi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth are at a higher risk for low self-esteem and depression than straight male and female youth. This study further investigated whether gay and bisexual male youth are at a higher risk for low self-esteem and depression than lesbian and bisexual female youth.

The 59 participants, ages 15 to 21, were obtained through a general undergraduate college sample and a selected sample of subjects involved in gay/lesbian community youth groups and college organizations. Of the 59 subjects, 29 were straight males and females and 30 were gay, …

Review Of A Partial Care Program For Severely Emotionally Disturbed Youth, Christina Schoener

Theses and Dissertations

The need for research on programs for Emotionally Disturbed (ED) children and adolescents is great. The present study examined a partial care program for ED youth in New Jersey. There were 120 subjects in this study. Several characteristics of these subjects were examined – gender, race, age, diagnosis, and family status. The study also examined the subjects' average length of stay in the program.and reasons for being discharged. In addition, the ratio of clients to staff was studied. The data was collected by examining the files of past and present clients to gather the necessary information. Descriptive statistics were used …

The Effects Of Nursing Home Placement On The Stress Levels Of Caregivers, Ellen E. Thomson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discuss the relationship between nursing home placement and anxiety levels of the people placing their loved ones. The study used 20 subjects from a nursing home in southern New Jersey. Subjects were people who had cared for a parent at home for at least one year prior to placement. Subjects were administered the IPAT anxiety scale on the day of placement and again one month later.

Relationships were shown through T-Tests and correlation coefficients. This study indicated that there were significant changes in anxiety levels of subjects after a one month period.

A Comparative Study Of Pull-Out Resource Room Instruction To In-Class Resource Room Instruction, Robin Comerford

Theses and Dissertations

According to The Regular Education Initiative, students with disabilities will be fully integrated into the regular education classroom. Hardman et. al. (1993) found that segregating learning disabled students limits their opportunities to learn appropriate social skills, Weiner (1979) hypothesized that attributions a child makes about himself/herself will affect his/her level of motivation. He also said that children who attribute failure to lack of ability and success to external factors, will develop a learned helplessness. Placing students with disabilities into regular education programs with their non-disabled peers is a movement designed to increase a learning disabled student's self esteem improving their …

A Social Skills Training Program Emphasizing Roleplay Of Social Problem Solving Strategies For Learning Disabled Adolescent Males With Behavior Problems, Anne S. Garman

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of a social skills training curriculum for learning disabled adolescent males with behavior problems. The need for such intervention has been established, however, the empirical evidence to support educational programs and strategies which promote effective social skills is just beginning to emerge. Roleplay activities and instruction of social problem solving strategies have been combined in this intervention.

Cooperation, assertion, empathy, and self-control were taught during twelve lessons conducted over a period of six weeks. Five students from a self-contained class at a special services school were used for the study. Pre and …

Gender Differences In Bipolar Disorder: A Descriptive Study, Cynthia Comparato

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create a profile of bipolar disorder in an adult psychiatric setting. Comparisons were made between gender and disposition upon hospitalization. Relationships between gender and substance abuse; and gender and incarceration were also studied.

A sample of seventy-seven bipolar patients was studied, using descriptive statistics. Of the seventy-seven subjects, fifty-two were female and twenty-five were male.

It was found that females are not more likely to be hospitalized in a manic state of their bipolar illness as opposed to a depressed state. In the sample of male bipolar subjects that were studied, hospitalization occurs …

Computer Science Curriculum In The Community College: An Evaluative Study, Rosemary R. Boiano

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess the sufficiency of the Computer Studies curriculum at Camden County College in meeting the needs of its local job market.

A questionnaire was distributed to 106 computer-based businesses in southern New Jersey, northern Delaware, and the greater Philadelphia area. The purpose of the survey was twofold. it was first necessary to ascertain whether or not these businesses would hire individuals possessing an associate's degree in Computer Science and if so, how many such positions might they have available in any given year. The survey then questioned respondents about the individual needs of …

Journal Writing For College Students In A Developmental Mathematics Class, Mary Anne Dorofee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure academic achievement in a developmental mathematics class through the use of journal writing. Twenty-seven college level students were part of the experiment. Two classes of "Introduction to College Math" were used. Their age levels ranged from students who had just graduated from high school to returning adults in their fifties. A variety of ethnic groups were represented in both classes. The experimental group consisted of eighteen students who kept a journal on various mathematics topics. The control group consisted of nine students and they did not keep a journal. The academic achievement …

A Study To Determine The Effectiveness Of Various Factors In The Reduction Of Mathematics Anxiety, Mindy S. Hutter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if increasing the amount of problem solving, journal writing, group work, and praise would decrease the level of mathematics anxiety experienced by eighth grade students. The forty-seven students involved included twenty-one average to below average students and twenty-six average to above average students. Both groups were pretested and posttested using the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale - A. During a six week period, class time contained a high concentration of problem solving, journal writing, group work, and praise. A dependent t test was used to analyze the results.

The conclusions showed a significant …

Self-Recording Of Attention And Its Effects On Achievement, Harvey N. Gross

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if self-recording of attention to task after cueing improves the performance of learning disabled students. Subjects were fifty-two students in two eighth grade American History classes. The experimental group (n=25) of students had within it a subgroup of thirteen students classified perceptually impaired with moderate to severe attention disorder. Another subgroup of twelve non-learning disabled students within the same class received intervention. The control group (n=27) were all regular education students. Both groups were taught the same lessons using similar formats. A serious limitation of this study is that a small convenience …

Personality Differences Between Men And Women, Lori K. Ingoldsby

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare personality types of men and women and to examine if Jung's predictions of certain personality types occurring more frequently in males is supported. Subjects were 20 male and 20 female undergraduate volunteers, ranging in age from 18-26 years. Personality types were measured using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, form G. A chi-square test for independence showed support that personality type is dependent on gender. A significant difference was found for the following personality attitudes and functions: introversion and extraversion, and thinking and feeling. Men were found to be more likely to be introverted …

Perceptions Of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers On The Importance And Presence Of Elements Associated With Effective Staff Development, Paula L. Leo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the importance and the actual practice of elements associated with effective staff development as perceived by Secondary School Mathematics Teachers. A questionnaire consisting of 24 statements was developed by the researcher after a review of the research on effective staff development practices.

An analysis, using the Pearson r correlation coefficient, found r values between -0.17 and 0.4 suggesting a moderate to low correlation between the perceived importance and actual practice of those elements of staff development.

In testing rho, to find the population correlation between perceived importance and perceived …

A Study To Determine The Effects That Concrete Manipulatives Have On Mathematics Anxiety And Achievement, Nicholas R. Brian Simione

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this five week study was to test any effects that concrete manipulatives had on mathematics anxiety and achievement. Two groups of high school freshmen were selected. A control group (n = 23) was taught using traditional teaching methods of lecture-homework-review-test. An experimental group (n = 20) used concrete manipulatives to reinforce a lesson after it was introduced. Manipulatives replaced worksheets as the sole source of review.

To assess changes in mathematics anxiety in the experimental group, the adolescent version of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS-A) was administered. The researcher used dependent t test procedures to determine …

A Course In Mathematics Appreciation, Daniel J. Kraft

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to create a mini-course in mathematics appreciation at the senior high school level.

The mathematics appreciation course would be offered as an elective to students in the 11th or 12th grade, who are concurrently enrolled in trigonometry or calculus.

The topics covered in the mathematics appreciation course include: systems of numeration, congruences, Diophantine equations, Fibonacci sequences, the golden section, imaginary numbers, the exponential function, pi, perfect numbers, numbers with shape, ciphers, magic squares, and root extraction techniques.

In this study, the student is exposed to mathematical proofs, where appropriate, and is encouraged to create …

The Database Management Course At Camden County College And The Effect On The Technological Needs Of Industry, Jennifer R. Lupo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Database Management course at Camden County College to determine if it currently meets the needs of businesses in Camden County. A review of recent literature and the proposal of the Data Processing Management Association expressed that technological courses should be reviewed every two years. The researcher queried one hundred randomly chosen Camden County businesses and twenty-seven Camden County College Database Management students from the Spring, 1995 semester. Opinionnaires were mailed to local businesses and a survey was administered to the students. A comparison was made between industry's needs and the students' …

The Relationship Among Educational Philosophy And Discipline Policies, Procedures, And Practices, Alan G. Ekblad

Theses and Dissertations

One enduring mission of the educational system has been to promote classroom environments where children learn about responsible citizenship, disruption is minimized, and learning is maximized. This mission has supported the development of discipline policy, procedures, and practices as one component of an overall educational philosophy for school districts.

This study compared written educational philosophies, discipline policies, and procedures with actual practices reported by school personnel. The intent was to determine whether the statements corresponded with one another to promote practices for discipline that reflected a sound educational philosophy. It was questioned whether evidence of discrepancies between the statements correlated …

Remedial Post-Secondary Education And Subsequent College-Level Performance: A Comparative Study, Kelly Rapatski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between remedial instruction in a mathematics course, Basic Algebra, offered at Rowan College, and subsequent performance in a first college-level math course. The subjects utilized in the study consisted of remedial attendees or students who completed the course, test-outs, or students who were placed into the course but tested out of it, and non-remedial students, or those who never needed the course.

Mean grades for each of the three groups were then computed. A chi-square analysis indicated no significant difference between the three groups.

Based on the findings, the decision …

The Effects Of Inclusion Of Moderately Handicapped Students, Leslie B. Kahn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of inclusion of moderately handicapped students in three areas. Handicapped students were observed in order to measure: the number of disturbances they caused, the amount of teacher involvement they required, and the type of social interactions they developed. The students chosen for this study had differing disabilities including physical, emotional and learning handicaps. A sample of three second through fourth grade students was studied. All three of the students were from different communities with similar socioeconomic levels. Although results differed based on the particular handicap, on the average, the handicapped …