Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Parental Attitudes And Student Achievement On Standardized Test Scores In Mathematics, Susan S. Lapp

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parents' attitudes toward mathematics and students' standardized test scores in mathematics. Eighty-four parents of fourth-grade students in a southeastern military dependent school system were surveyed to determine their attitudes to mathematics when they were in elementary school and their attitudes about mathematics today. Parents also responded to questions about their children's abilities and attitudes toward mathematics.

Total scores for the survey were matched with the students' mathematics scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to compute the correlation coefficients. A positive …

The Effect Of The Prime Experience On The Mathematics Confidence And Achievement In Measurement Concepts And Skills Of Sixth Grade Females, Mary Jo Trask

Theses and Dissertations

Three rising sixth graders were randomly selected from the group of girls participating in PRIME camp at Columbus College the week of July 20-24, 1992, for the study of mathematics confidence and achievement in measurement concepts and skills. The three girls were asked to respond to a Fennema-Sherman scale and to participate in three measurement activities during the week of July 20-24, 1992, at PRIME camp at Columbus College. The attitudinal scale was scored and a journal of responses was kept on the activities in which each girl participated. The measurement activities were repeated in November and the attitudinal scale …

Mathematics Achievement And Writing Assignments Among Urban Middle-School Students, Jan T. Whitaker

Theses and Dissertations

Thirty-seven eighth-grade students from a middle grade urban school in the southeast served as subjects for the study of whether the inclusion of writing assignments affected mathematics achievement. Total math scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills were compared before and after various writing exercises were given to one class. A comparison of the post-test means found no significant difference between the treatment and the control! group scores.

Writing In The Math Classroom: A Writing Across The Curriculum Project, Paul Steven Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Interpretative Team for the Fourth Mathematics Assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) (Silver, Lindquist, Carpenter, Brown, Kouba, and Swafford, 1988) reports that performance levels for thirteen year-olds has not changed between the last two assessments. At the same time seventeen year-olds have made significant gains (Silver et al., 1988). The Interpretative Team cautions that the seventeen year-old population which made gains was the population that showed gains as thirteen year-olds. Thus, any attribution of these gains to educational reforms at the secondary level should be made with caution (Silver et …

Assessing And Describing Sixth-Grade Students Use Of Number Sense To Demonstrate An Understanding Of Mathematics Concepts, Deborah B. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Eighteen sixth-grade students in a selected elementary school of a large school district were chosen to participate in a study to individually assess and describe their use of number sense, which demonstrated their understanding of mathematics concepts. The instrument used was teacher made and consisted of nine mathematics problems. The instrument was given to each student in a one-on-one interview. The findings suggested that developing number sense is essential for improving mathematics performance.

Success In Written Expression: A Case Study, Susan Flowers Hamby

Theses and Dissertations

In order to receive a high school diploma, a student in any Georgia high school must pass the Georgia Basic Skills Test in three areas: Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. The subject of this case study is an eighteen-year-old male student who after four attempts passed the Writing portion of this test. Because this is a case study, the findings are reported in a nontraditional manner using a narrative style with first person commentary.

Much of the data in this case study were collected through interviews with the subject referred to as Tim, his mother, a school examiner, and several of …

The Relationship Between Mathematical Self-Concept And Math Performance, Linda M. Arrington

Theses and Dissertations

Two hundred sixty-three ninth grade students in a selected high school of a selected large school district were surveyed for mathematical self-concept. The instrument used was Gourgey's Mathematical Self-Concept Scale. Mathematical Self-Concept was compared to performance as measured by numerical class grades and by achievement test scores. The results were correlated using the Pearson-r formula, and the hypothesis of a positive relationship existing between mathematical self-concept and performance was supported. The findings suggested that improving mathematical self-concept would help to improve math performance, as measured by numerical class grade.

Analise Quantitativa Do Currículo Escolar [Quantitative Analysis Of The School Curriclum], Karl M. Lorenz

Education Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Profiles Of Learning. The Basic Skills Testing Program In New South Wales 1989, Geoff N. Masters, Janice Lokan, Brian Doig, Siek Toon Khoo, John Lindsey, Lynette Robinson, Susan Zammit

Assessment and Reporting

The 1989 Basic Skills Testing Program in New South Wales provides the most comprehensive picture yet compiled of literacy and numeracy learning in Australian primary schools. In 1989, some 53,800 Year 6 students in NSW government schools were tested in five aspects of literacy and numeracy. Another 2,300 Year 3 students took part in a pilot study. This book discusses the writing of the tests, the analysis of results, and the reporting of results to parents, teachers and schools. The aim of the basic skills tests is to describe, in positive terms, the skills that students have mastered, to identify …

The Relationship Between Locus Of Control And Academic Success Of Post-Secondary Students In Electronics Technology, Robert D. Mccollum

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between internal locus of control and academic success in students taking courses in Electronics Technology at a post-secondary technical school. The Adult Nowicki-Strickland Internal External Control-Scale was used to determine a locus of control score for each subject, and the students' current GPA scores were used as a measure of success. The study implemented a correlational research design, and the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the locus of control scores and the GPA scores. Results indicated a significant relationship between the internal dimension …

Sciençe Denartment Evaluation With Focus On Quality Basic Education And National Science Teachers Association Criteria, David Wayne Donalson

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a descriptive investigation of science instructional programs in three senior high schools, reviewed from four different standpoints. Criteria set forth by the Quality Basic Education Act of Georgia (QBE) and recommendations given by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) were used for the establishment of i Likert-style questionnaire which was distributed among a group of twenty-eight science teachers. Three of the seven high schools located in a southeastern city of approximately 200,000 population were selected at random to participate in this study. These schools ranged in enrollment from 1100 to 1250 students.

Lack of computer training was …

Attitudes Toward Science Among Participants Of A Summer Science Enrichment Program, Jan. White

Theses and Dissertations

Eighteen high school and junior high school participants of a summer science enrichment program at a selected college in Georgia were the subjects of this study which described and measured changes in attitudes towards science as a result of the program. A fifty-item questionnaire, developed on a modified Likert scale of one to four and administered on a pretest-posttest basis, served as the measuring instrument. Differences between pretest and posttest responses indicated changes in attitudes towards science.

Changes occurred in 37.1% of all individual responses. Analysis of responses within the various categories of items revealed the greatest positive change in …

The Relationship Between Secondary Students' Attitude Toward Science And Gender Or Grade Level, Kathleen W. Crawford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible relationships between students' attitude toward science as a subject in school and their gender or grade level. The subjects for this study were 108 ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade students enrolled in summer school. The instrument used, Attitude Toward Science in School Assessment, was a 14-item questionnaire which used the Likert scale to register the extent of agreement or disagreement with each opinion statement. The results, subdivided according to gender and grade level, indicated that there were no significant differences in attitude toward science between male and female students …

Comparisons Of Learnings From Structured And Nonstructured Visits To A Science Exhibit, Rosario Canizales De Andrade

Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of an activity worksheet during a museum visit to a science exhibit might help students achieve the objectives proposed for the visit. Two types of museum visits were identified: structured and nonstructured. During the structured visit students used the activity worksheet that focused their attention on concepts, displays, and activities presented in the exhibit. During the nonstructured visit, students did not use any attention-focusing device; instead, they interacted with the exhibit according to their own interests and preferences.

Secondary goals of the study were to determine if gender-related …

A Content Comparison Of Nontechnical Curricula For Engineers, Bryan Lynn Lundgren

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to compare and critique the nontechnical curricula content of three Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree program model curricula. Curricula content areas that are similar were critiqued by employers of engineers. Model curricula importance and first year BSE nontechnical skill performance were rated by engineering supervisors. The main postulate is that differences among actual, model, and employer-desired nontechnical curricula are factors that may influence curricula change in engineering education. A secondary purpose was to investigate whether the proportion of nontechnical courses to total required courses in BSE college degree programs changed between 1975 …

Perfil Quali-Quantitativo Dos Currículos Do Ensino Secundário Brasileiro No Século Xix [A Quali-Quantitative Profile Of The Curricula Of The Brazilian Secondary School Of The Xix Century], Karl M. Lorenz, Ariclê Vechia

Education Faculty Publications

O trabalho caracteriza a organização e os conteúdos dos currículos adotados na escola secundária brasileira de 1838 a 1900, tomando como referência o Colégio Pedro II. O estudo classifica as disciplinas em quatro conjuntos curriculares: Humanidades, Ciências, Matemáticas e Estudos Sociais. Analise, quantitativamente, as disciplinas dos conjuntos curriculares, sua frequência e distribuição nas series, e a carga horaria atribuída elas.

The paper describes the organization and contents of the curricula adopted in the Brazilian secondary school for the years 1838 to 1900, using as its reference the College Pedro II. The study classifies the curricular disciplines in four groups: Humanities, …

The Relationship Between Home Environment And Ninth-Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement, Brenda B. Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

One hundred thirty-five ninth-grade students served as subjects for this study on the relationship between home environment and mathematics achievement. Each student was given a score on a home-environment questionnaire which was recorded with the student's score on the mathematics section of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. To determine the relationship between home environment and mathematics achievement the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient were computed, There was a positive correlation between home environment and mathematics achievement, significant at the ,01 level for all students, for male students, for female students, and for black students. The correlation coefficient was significant …

An Analysis Of Agressive Interactions Between Procambarus Spiculifer And Procambarus Versutus In Laboratory-Based Interspecific Contacts, Lyle A. Brasfield

Theses and Dissertations

The study was undertaken to investigate the role of competitive behavior in the distribution of the crayfish Procambarus spicullfer and Procambarus versutus. Forty pairs of animals, one of each species per pair, were matched by size and gender. For each pair, four fifteen minute agonistic encounters were observed under controlled laboratory conditions, and winners were determined using a scoring system developed by the author. P. versutus won 26 of 40 contests. Chi Square analysis revealed that this outcome deviated from an expected 50/50 ratio at the .942 significance level, suggesting support for the hypothesis that no difference exists in competitive …

Differences In The. Reading And Mathematics Achievement Between Asian American And Non Asian American Children, Linda B. Price

Theses and Dissertations

Explanations for the achievement or overachievement of Asian Americans are often conflicting and subject to debate among researchers. Four major theories for this achievement are explored in the review of literature. One of these theories concerns the idea that Asian American's beliefs are the result of Confucianism and its influence on the lives of Asian Americans. Another theory examines the parent's positive attitude toward education and its influence on achievement. A third theory suggests that Asian American babies are more alert and sensitive at birth. The final theory examined proposes that the Asian American immigration to the United States is …

Differences Between The High School Grade Point Average And The Sat Mathematics Score In Predicting Success In The Three-Quarter Mathematics Sequence At A Post-Secondary Vocational Education Institution, Steve A. Hicks

Theses and Dissertations

Thirty-seven current and former Engineering Technology students at a postsecondary vocational education institution were used as subjects for a comparison of the high school grade point average and the SAT mathematics score as predictors of success in the three-quarter mathematics sequence during the first year of the two-year program: The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation was used to compute two correlation coefficients; one between the high school GPA and the mathematics sequence average, and the other between the SAT mathematics score and the mathematics sequence average. These correlation coefficients were then compared, using a z calculation, to determine that the difference between …

An Original Formula That Produces Polynomial Functions With Integral Critical Points And Zeros. Will The Classroom Teacher Use It?, Roy C. Gregory

Theses and Dissertations

The author of this paper presents an original formula for creating polynomial functions with integral critical points and Integral zeros. This formula provides quickly constructed polynomial functions needed for teaching graphing techniques at the high school level. These functions have the characteristic that both coordinates of each critical point and each zero are integers, which simplifies graphing. A group of one hundred twenty high school mathematics teachers were sent questionnaires to determine if high school teachers would use the formula. Of the fifty-two respondents; twenty-six responded that they would use the formula; twenty-six responded that they may use the formula …

Effects Of New Science Textbooks On Selected Sixth And Eighth Grade Students At Crestwood Elementary School, Paris, Illinois, David R. Pruim

Masters Theses

This paper describes the results of a six-month field study to determine the effects of a newly adopted and implemented junior-high level science textbook series on student achievement. This study took place in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade science classrooms of Crestwood Elementary School, Paris, Illinois, from December 1988, until May of 1989. This study compared the science achievement of two groups of students in both their sixth and eighth grade years. The Normal Curve Equivalents or NCE's and letter grades as given by the junior-high level science teachers at Crestwood, were analyzed using non-independent t tests. Descriptive data …

A Survey Of Factors Affecting Enrollment In Mathematics Teacher Education Programs, Rebecca Miller

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Concern for an adequate supply of competent mathematics teachers prompted this research. The study was implemented to identify the factors believed to be of importance in a student's decision concerning whether or not to become a public school teacher.

A comparison was made between two groups of mathematics students at Western Kentucky University. Mathematics students were separated according to whether or not they were pursuing teacher certification.

A two-part questionnaire was administered. The first part asked students to rate the importance of 10 selected career factors in their career decision. The second part asked students to rate these same 10 …

Correlation Of American College Test Scores In Mathematics With First Semester College Freshman Grade Point Average, J. David Lester

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

An applied project presented to the faculty of the School of Education at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Specialist in Education by J. David Lester on July 28, 1988.

An Analysis Of Ability Grouping Of Mathematics Students At The Argenta-Oreana Middle School, Steven L. Mitchell

Masters Theses

This field experience investigated the effects of ability grouping mathematics students at the Argenta-Oreana Middle School in Oreana, Illinois. This study investigated the perceptions of teacher attitudes toward abilty grouping mathematics students, the effects ability grouping has had on grades assigned to eighth grade students and the effects ability grouping has had on eighth grade student achievement test scores. A two tailed t-test for the difference of means at the .05 level of significance was used to analyze the data collected. The perception survey information collected from 11 teachers determined that no statistically significant differences existed between the perceptions of …

Wait Time: A Contributing Factor In Sex-Related Differences In Mathematics Instruction, Gwendolyn Sharpe

Theses and Dissertations

Four intact first year algebra classes and two teachers in a rural county of Georgia served as subjects for this study on wait time. The students were identified as high, medium, and low academic achievers on the basis of their performance on the math portion of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Wait time was measured from the video camera-recorded teaching sessions. Based upon the results of t-tests, no significant difference was found between the mean wait times given to boys and girls. An analysis of variance indicated significant differences among achievement levels. Low and high achievers were given more …

The Relationship Between The Initial Screening Instrument And The California Achievement Test In Kindergarten, Alana F. Losonsky

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the scores of kindergarten children on the Initial Screening Instrument (ISI) and the California Achievement Test (CAT). The subjects were 100 students who did not receive a passing score of seven on the ISI and 100 students who did receive seven or above in an urban public school system. The Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to compute the correlation coefficients. A significant relationship was found in Sound Recognition, Mathematical Concepts and the Composite Score. Sex and racial differences were also significant for children receiving scores …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Family Characteristics And Standardized Test Scores In Reading Comprehension And Mathematics Concepts, Carolyn H. Hemmings

Theses and Dissertations

Standardized testing ln the public school has become a crucial issue during this decade as more testing ls effected ln all grade levels, even to the extent that promotion to first grade may depend on a child/s standardized performance. Previous research has shown parent involvement ,, to be a factor which contributes to grade point averages; therefore, this study was developed to address the possibility of a correlation between parent involvement and successful standardized test scores.

Eighty-four parents of fifth-grade students in a selected county in Georgia were surveyed to determine their involvement in their child's public school education. Total …

The Use Of Algebra Iii As An Effectlve Means Of Improving Mathematical Competencies For Marginally Successful Mathematics Students, Delores Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of marginally successful math students taking a third year of algebra their senior year in high school. A questionnaire was administered to high school graduates who had taken Algebra III in their senior year and to graduates who had taken two years of algebra and a year of geometry but had not taken a math course their senior year. The study compared the grades made by each group in the first course in college algebra. Graduates from three high schools in a large school district In Georgia completed the questionnaire. …

Seventh-Grade Student Achievement In Length, Perimeter, Area And Volume, Cathy Pierce

Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to measure seventh-grade achievement in finding length, perimeter, area and volume when four different presentations of the problem were given: standard textbook problems, word problems, students measuring, and problems labeled differently than the standard textbook problems. Each of the 235 subjects took one of four different measurement skills testes developed by the researcher. Results indicate student achievement decreases as the complexity of the attribute increases. Overall, students found standard textbook problems the easiest to solve, followed by word problems, and students measuring, respectively. Problems labeled differently than the standard textbook problem were the most difficult for …