Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

A Screening Test For Anomia In Children, Danni Odom-Winn

Theses and Dissertations

It is essential for success in American society that people speak, read, and write well. Educators are mandated with the early diagnosis and correct of problems that detract from these essential competencies. Inadequacies in the formative years, if not correct, become virtually irreversible in later years.

It is generally held that object-naming begins between 12-24 months of age (Bloom and Lahey, 1978). This is the corner stone of communication. A deficiency at this stage of development will severely limit a child's communicative skills throughout his or her entire life.

Piagetian Concrete And Formal Cognitive Development And Ninth-Grade Achievement In Physical Science, Dale H. Joiner

Theses and Dissertations

The Purpose of this investigation was to determine if differences in achievement among ninth-grade physical science students are a function of the cognitive level of the physical science curriculum and students' stages of cognitive development.

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development proposes that all students progress through a series of development stages but not necessarily at the same rate. The final two stages of Piaget's developmental theory are termed concrete and formal respectively and were the focal point of this study.

A series of Piagetian tasks designed to reveal evidence of concrete and formal levels of development were administered to …

The Implementation Of Teacher Assistance Teams As A Prereferal, Cathy C. Webb

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing population of special education is a problem. The framework of PL 94-142 guarantees a free and appropriate education to all children in the least restrictive environment. The U.S. Department of Education figures show that from 1976-1977 the states provided special education and related services to 8.2 percent of children enrolled in public schools. The figure for 1970- 1980 grew to 9.5 percent (Algozzine, Ysseldyke, & Christenson, 1983) which was a three percent per year growth rate. Further analysis of Algozzine, Ysseldyke and Christenson's studies (1983) showed that approximately 92 percent of those students referred were tested and 73 …

Writing Apprehension: Can Sentence Combining Help?, Anne B. Trawick

Theses and Dissertations

This study tested the hypothesis that seventh-grade students who practiced a regimen of sentence-combining would have less apprehension about writing than students who were taught composition in the traditional mode. The subjects were four intact classes of seventh-grade students whose average IQ of 99, who were 12.2 years of age, and who were in classes for students who worked on or near grade level. Each teacher administered to the experimental group the sentence-combining treatment for two class periods a week over a nine week period and taught the control group composition by conventional methods the same amount of time. The …

An Analysis Of The Changing Roles Of Female Characters In Newbery Award-Winning Fiction Since 1964, Connie C. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Twenty-four novels were selected from the list of Newbery Medal and Honor books because they dealt with contemporary themes and settings. These books have been .analyzed by categorizing each major or supporting adult female character into one of five categories of the "Occupational Prestige Rating Scale'' (Appendix A), based mainly on salary ranges. Major or supporting female characters were categorized by the "Leadership Potential Scale'' (Appendix B), based on leadership qualities described in each of the five groups. Both instruments were developed by the researcher. Two tables of frequency counts indicate the range of major and supporting female characters for …

The Use Of Oral Communications Courses In High School To Increase Skills In Language Arts, Sylvia C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to see if there is any difference between the reading and English test scores (TASK= Stanford Test of Academic Skills) between those high schoo1 students who take oral communications courses and those who do not take such courses.

This study used a sample of 40 students enrolled in oral communications courses from three randomly selected high schools. The comparison sample included 40 randomly selected students enrolled in Phase II English courses at the same schools.

The Stanford Test of Academic Skills served as both a pretest and a posttest for scores for all of …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of Teachers' Locus Of Control And Attribution Training Upon Risk-Taking And Locus Of Control Of Pre-School Children, Deborah Chamberly

Theses and Dissertations

he purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of teachers' locus of control upon the locus of control and risk-taking behavior of four- and five-year old preschool children. The scores on Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale were used to assess the teachers' locus of control. Scores on the Preschool and Primary Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External Control Scale were employed to determine locus of control of the students. A risk-taking situation was devised to evaluate this behavior in the subjects, and attribution training activities were selected. Control and experimental groups were identified and the treatment administered accordingly. Pretest and posttest …

The Effects Of Vertical Acceleration In Mathematics, Amy Willis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of vertical acceleration of students who had taken algebra in the eighth grade. A questionnaire was administered to seniors to determine the attrition rates and their perceived success level in subsequent mathematics courses. All seniors in four high schools in a large school district in Georgia completed the questionnaire. Responses of those seniors who had taken algebra in the eighth grade were analyzed by examining the percentages and frequency counts. The study revealed a high attrition rate for the senior year mathematics course and perceived success levels that were not …

A Survey Of Seventh And Eighth Grade Science Curricula In Georgia. Is There A Need For Specific Objectives?, Doris P. Lord

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the science curricula being used in Georgia in the seventh and eighth grades. This information was used to determine any inconsistencies and the need for more specific guidelines at the State level to improve any transfer problems of students. The survey responses showed no significant problem with students transferring within the state. Responses also showed that a majority of either the curriculum directors or science teachers preferred a more specific description of the State Basic Curriculum Content. The survey indicated that Life Science is taught the most often in the seventh grade …

The Relationship Between Environmental Awareness And Academic Achievement In Elementary School Children, Earl T. Leindecker

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred and seventy two sixth grade public school students were surveyed to investigate the possibility of a relationship between the children's perception of the cleanliness of the academic environment and the students' level of academic achievement. Utilizing a Pearson product-moment coefficient, student responses on a researcher-prepared Likert-type scale were correlated with the Normal Curve Equivalency Score for the reading portion of the Stanford Achievement Test. Analysis of the statistical data revealed a negative .139 correlation. The positive directional hypotheses cannot be accepted. However, the null hypothesis must be retained because of the negative .139 correlation at the .05 level …

Five Computer Programs Developed For Secondary Social Studies, Thomas W. Griffin

Theses and Dissertations

This project consists of five computer programs developed for secondary social studies classes. Two tutorials and three games make up the programs.

The tutorials present how the President is elected, with a computer title of "Election," and how a bill becomes a law, with a computer title of "Make-Law." The two programs are divided into an information section, based on the Muscogee County School District curriculum guide, a review section, and a test section. The objectives of the tutorial programs are to have the studentsidentify the sequential events that make up the Presidential electoral process and the legislative process, to …

An Analysis Of The Black Image In Children's Literature In Terms Of Characterizations, Illustrations, And Language, Joan Smith Dickson

Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study analyzed two samples of children's literature to determine the frequency, if any, of negativism toward black people in terms of characterizations, illustrations, and/or language. One sample consisted of eighteen (18) books published prior to 1965 which had been removed from elementary school libraries because they were "outdated and portrayed black characters in a demeaning, stereotyped manner" (Lisby, Note 1). The second sample of twenty-five (25) books published since 1965, depicting at least one major black character, was randomly selected from elementary school libraries. The two samples of books were read and analyzed using a checklist instrument to …

The Image Of Southern Americans In Selected High School Anthologies, Betty Jenkins Aiken

Theses and Dissertations

This study was a descriptive investigation of the allocation of space to Southern writers and of the image of Southern Americans in selected high school anthologies. The materials analyzed were sixteen high school anthologies used in grades nine, ten, and eleven during the 1984-1985 school year by eight high schools operating in a system of approximately 25,000 students in the southern region of the United States. The instrument used to measure allocation of space was a simple mathematical procedure. To measure the directionality of content, frequency counts were used. The results revealed both positive and negative aspects of the textbooks …

The Effects Of Head Start On Cognitive Development, Gloria Toelle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare Head Start students with non-Head Start students in first grade to see if there were significant differences in cognitive achievement. A posttest only design was used, and a factorial analysis of variance was used as the statistical analysis at the .05 level of significance. Both sex and Head Start comparisons were made, but no significant findings were found. However, it was noted that boys who went to Head Start were able to achieve as much as the girls who did not. Since boys are usually less ready for school, the conclusion from …

An Adaption Of A Student Team Learning Technique To Selected Objectives Of The Muscogee County English Course Of Study For Grades Five And Six, Steve Olive

Theses and Dissertations

This project adapts selected objectives of the Muscogee County English Course of Study for grades five and six to a student team learning instructional method known as Teams-Games-Tournaments (TGT). This method uses a cooperative classroom reward structure and peer tutoring to build peer support for achievement. Extensive research has shown TGT to be very effective.

Included in the adaptation package are TGT implementation instructions for teachers, all materials necessary for using TGT for one six-weeks period in fifth and sixth grade English classes, and directions for developing materials to use with other objectives. The materials were field tested with one …

Labor Strikes In The Columbus Textile Mills During The Summer Of 1934, James H. Creek

Theses and Dissertations

One major and three minor textile strikes occurred in Columbus, Georgia, during the summer of 1934. Each minor strike centered around issues at separate mills -- the Muscogee Manufacturing Company, the Georgia Webbing and Tape Company, and the Eagle and Phenix Mills. On September 1, a nation-wide general strike began. Eight of the twelve mills in Columbus were inoperative due to the strike, and three of the remaining four mills were forced to shut down on the second day of the strike due to the high number of strike sympathizers among their employees. Approximately 12,000 workers struck for higher wages, …

Selected Tales From Georgia Indian Tribes With Suggested Application In Junior High School English And Social Studies Curricula, M. Diane Boss

Theses and Dissertations

After finding several references which suggest that there was a need to include Native American Studies in schools, the author of this report decided to create, "Cherokee, Creek, and Yuchi tales with Suggested Activities"; a resource supplement that would be of help to teachers of junior high school English and/or social studies in Columbus.

The completed resource supplement on Georgia Indian folk-tales include tales from three tribes, Cherokee, Creek, and Yuchi, selected because of their importance and proximity to Columbus. Twenty-three tales were chosen based on criteria established by the author.

The resulting collection of stories and instructional suggestions includes …

What Georgia's Middle Graders Are Reading: An Analysis Of Selected Georgia Book Award Recipients, Mary M. Bass

Theses and Dissertations

This project is a thematic analysis of thirty books nominated for the Georgia Children's Book Award Program. Books selected for analysis include the annual winners and one other book, randomly selected, from each year since the program began in 1969. A brief history of the program and the rules for the inclusion of a title are included in the report. A one-page review-analysis of each title includes a readability level, publication date, year nominated, brief sketch of the protagonist, and a synopsis of the book. The review of the literature focuses on similar studies along thematic lines and notes the …

Computer Assisted Instructed Materials Dealing With Sound Effects In Poetry For Use In The English Tv Classroom, Peggy Y. Westbrook

Theses and Dissertations

This project includes a survey of the types of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) available for use in secondary English classrooms, 1llustrating that the majority of such programs deal with grammar, vocabulary, and reading objectives. Muscogee County, Georgia, high schools now have Apple computers for use by teachers and students in the classroom and after school. However, most current commercial programs do not meet the specific objectives of the curriculum, especially the English IV curriculum with its emphasis on literature. This project presents a trio of programs based on a portion of the poetry-related objectives of the MCSD English IV curriculum. …

Computer Programs In Intermediate Language Arts For Use In A Rural School System, Wanda M. Stuckey

Theses and Dissertations

This project developed and field tested computer programs in language arts for use in a rural school system. A review of the literature compared the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction(CAI) in various academic areas, specifically focusing on the English curriculum. Commercially available computer programs from Texas Instruments were reviewed for content and format. Two computer programs were then developed on a TRS-80 color computer; the programs were designed specifically to assist in remedial instruction in the intermediate grades. Two reading skills were reviewed: the concepts of literal versus figurative language and fact versus opinion. The graphics portion of a commercial computer …

English Department Evaluation With Focus On National Council Of Teachers Of English And Georgia Council Of Teachers Of English Criteria, Connie H. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

This study was a descriptive investigation of English department evaluation. It emphasized characteristics of departments at the national and state level which the National Council of Teachers of English and the Georgia Council of Teachers of English have recognized. The purpose of the investigation was to determine which of these characteristics the English department of a local high school met and to establish priorities for improving that department. The subjects were an intact group of 11 secondary English teachers who constituted 14.1 percent of a population of 78 teachers. The school at which they taught had an enrollment of 1400 …

Homogeneous Versus Heterogeneous Grouping Of Low Ability First Grade Students And The Effect On Reading Achievement, Velinda O. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping on reading achievement with low ability first grade students. Using a modification of a posttest-only control group design and applying a t-test for independent samples', it was found that the 18 students placed in the homogenous group achieved significantly. higher reading levels in the Holt Basic Reading Management Program than the 18 heterogeneously grouped students. In addition, it was also found that students' placed in the homogeneous group achieved significantly higher means on two of the 23 reading skill subtests. In contrast, it was found …

Classroom Practices In The Teaching Of Writing, Rickey A. Cotton

Theses and Dissertations

This study was a descriptive investigation of current practices in the teaching of writing. The subjects were 327 eleventh grade English students and the six English teachers who taught them. The subjects were selected from three of eight high schools operating in a system of approximately 30,000 students in the southern region of the nation. The data gathering instrument for this study was a student writing questionnaire devised by the researcher. The questionnaire was pretested and administered in the spring of 1983. The results revealed both positive and negative aspects of writing instruction. Frequency and length of writing assignments emerged …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of The Language- Experience Approach And The Basal Approach On Reading Achievement, Larry L. Copeland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine and compare through objective literary research the effectiveness of the basal method versus the language experience method on reading achievement. The review of the literature covered a wide variety of sources including several books, journals, dissertations, and reports by professional organizations.

Five questions were formulated to help guide the probe through the vast amount of literature and to narrow the scope and breadth of the research report. The questions asked about the significant differences of reading achievement by: (1) method of instruction, (2) socio-cultural background, (3) sex, (4) intelligence levels, and (5) …

An Examination Of The Strategies Of Instruction Employed By Prophets And Teachers In The Book Of Mormon And Their Potential Application To Current Lds Instructional Settings, Bruce A. Van Orden

Theses and Dissertations

The problems with which this study will deal are based upon three premises:
1. There is a tremendous need in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for qualified, spiritually-motivating teachers.
2. The Book of Mormon has a record of many outstanding teachers and examples of teaching.
3. Teachers in the Church today can improve their effectiveness by learning from the teachers and the instructional process as found in the Book of Mormon.

Reasons For Non-Enrollment And Low Attendance In Lds Early Morning Seminary At Minneapolis-St. Paul, Wayne P. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to determine why only about one half of the potential Latter-day Saint students in grades nine through twelve in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area enroll in early morning seminary each year, why so many students attended poorly or discontinued part way through 1973-74, and what effect the increase in the price of gasoline had on attendance. About 40 percent of the potential students and their parents, all eight of their bishops, and all thirteen seminary teachers responded to a mailed questionnaire.

The main reasons for non-enrollment were inactivity in the LDS Church, disinterest in seminary, and difficulty finding …

High School Students Achievement Of College Level Work Through The Phase Achievement System (Pas), Dwight D. Lassen

Theses and Dissertations

Senior high school students in a Human Biology course were given college level work through the Phase Achievement System (PAS), a biology course at Brigham Young University (BYU). Statistical analysis showed significant growth in high school student learning through the PAS. When ability to work with PAS was measured, significant differences between the high school and college groups were not evident. A high percentage of college and high school students dropped out of the PAS, probably becasue students could fail at the PAS without experiencing academic failure.

An Evaluation Of The Performance Of Latter-Day Saint Seminary Coordinators As Instructional Supervisors, U. Carlisle Hunsaker

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the present practices and procedures of the seminary coordinators in their role as teacher supervisors and to make recommendations based upon standards established by authorities in the field of supervision.

A Study Of The Differences Between Seminary And Non-Seminary Students At The Ogden-Weber Seminary 1963-64, Gerald F. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

The major purpose of this study was to discover differences between LDS students enrolled in the Ogden-Weber Seminary and LDS students who are not enrolled in this seminary.
This study proposed to answer the following questions:
1. What are the differences in the responses, to a questionnaire designed to determine attitudes, of Latter-day Saint students who are not enrolled in seminary compared with Latter-day Saint students who are enrolled?
2. What are the differences between Latter-day Saint students who are not enrolled in seminary and Latter-day Saint students who are enrolled in seminary when compared as to mental achievement and …

A Study Of The Influence Of Seminary Teachers On Seminary Enrollment In The Twenty-Seven One-Teacher Seminaries Of The State Of Utah, Hal Loren Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers in general have a great deal of interest in the well-being of their students. This is especially true of the seminary teacher whose subject matter is designed to not only prepare his student for life, but for eternity. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (1) to determine the influence of the seminary teacher on seminary enrollment statistics as compared with other major influential groups in the twenty-seven one-teacher seminaries in the State of Utah, and (2) to consider the correlation of highly rated teachers to high enrollment percentages.