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 …

Microcomputer-Based Laboratory Experiments Involving Motion And Force, John B. Cole

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the increased availability and use of microcomputers in the high school, it is extremely important for science teachers to begin to incorporate this invaluable tool in their classrooms and laboratories. Science teachers need to employ the advantages that computer-based education offers. Since studying science not only involves learning factual information and learning how to solve predetermined problems, but also directly observing and monitoring naturally occurring events, there are possibilities for the use of microcomputers in science that do not exist in other areas of study.

One of the most imaginative ways that microcomputers can be used in science …

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 …

A Handbook For Investigative Science Projects Including An Introduction To Statistical Analysis, George E. Averill

Theses and Dissertations

A Handbook for Investigative Science Projects: Including an Introduction to Statistical Analysis provides a step-by-step procedure from how to select a project to displaying the finished product. The handbook fills the gap in the literature between guidance for elementary students and graduate level research. Both middle and secondary teachers may wish to use the handbook as a resource guide when planning remedial instruction. Advanced students at the secondary level should be able to read and understand the handbook on their own. It includes specific instructions for keeping a professional logbook, budgeting time, researching the literature, evaluating the results, and writing …

Hands-On Support Materials For Schoolwide Science Project In Middle Schools, Jane Y. Grizzle

Theses and Dissertations

The establishment of a Chapter 1 Schoolwide Project middle school created a need to develop a hands-on science program for middle school students with academic deficiencies. This program considered the following criteria: (a) academic needs of adolescent learners, (b) validation of hands-on methods for middle school students, and (c} design of a classroom facility to accommodate hands-on activities. It was the purpose of this project to plan and implement such a program.

Practice Exercises-For The Georgia Teacher Certification Test In Mathematics, Beverly M. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Since the Georgia Teacher Testing Program began in 1978, thousands of Georgia teachers and teacher candidates have taken the Georgia Teacher Certification Test (TCT) in mathematics. Although the mathematics test has been found to be valid, reliable, unbiased, and job-related, many test takers fail the test the first time the test is taken and consequently retake the test until a passing score is made or choose not to retake the test.

Multiple choice practice exercises were developed to assist those who are preparing to take this test. These practice exercises are based on objectives, assessment characteristics, and content components outlined …

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.

Robotics And Children: Their Relationship To Science Achievement, Problem Solving, Adhd Rating Scale Scores, And Learning Styles, Susan Preston Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated whether robotics could significantly improve science achievement scores or problem solving scores as compared to battery powered manipulatives or an untreated traditionally taught control. Also examined was whether there were interactions between treatment group membership and ADHD Rating Scale scores, and treatment group membership and the learning styles subscales auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic. Fifteen fourth through sixth grade classes, involving 364 students from three schools participated in this study. A fifth grade science unit on force, motion, and machines was taught for 20-30 minutes daily, followed by a 50-60 minute robotics session. The treatments lasted for …

A Handbook For Secondary Teachers Of Remedial Mathematics In Georgia, Diane Koart

Theses and Dissertations

Several changes affecting the context of mathematics education were identified in Reshaping School Mathematics (Mathematical Sciences Education Board National Research Council [MSEB], 1990). The need for mathematics has changed to demand a higher level of quantitative literacy. New mathematics has been discovered and types of mathematical applications have increased. The development of technology has impacted mathematics greatly. Greater mathematical skills are demanded in the work place. Better understanding of how students learn and changes in international competitiveness also affect mathematics education. These changes implied the need for a new practical philosophy of mathematics education as a basis for curricular reform. …

Calculators In Special Education Mathematics Classes In A Junior High School, Celia M. Hurley

Theses and Dissertations

Very little has been written about the use of calculators by children with exceptional needs, although calculators are already being used by most adults who seldom do any but the simplest calculations by hand (Thorpe, 1988). They use calculators for everything from balancing checkbooks to computing sales tax.

Yet there are teachers and many parents who believe, says Wheatley (1984), that using calculators will lessen the opportunity for students to master basics. They believe that calculators should not be used until children become proficient with paper-and-pencil calculations. Some say that students should become facile in the use of calculators. Still …

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.

Pretest Development For Gifted Biology Students, Paulette B. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Public education has redirected concern for the education of a subpopulation within the public schools which have special needs rooted in their innate abilities to excel in selected areas. That subpopulation identified as gifted students has traditionally been approached with a variety of attitudes and teaching methods which may or may not have fully addressed the student's unique talents. The implementation of a comprehensive program of gifted education within the school system isa renewed commitment to provide appropriate education for this subpopulation of gifted learners and as such involves different teaching methodologies. The utilization of an individualized learning program which …

Advanced Placement Chemistry Curriculum, Michael H. Edmondson

Theses and Dissertations

Literature related to the Advanced Placement program ln Chemistry was reviewed. Discussions were held with the Science Consultant for Muscogee County, Ms. Ann Murrah, and with Dr. Carolyn Cartledge, Chair of the Specialist Project Committee. Discussions regarding the appropriateness of certain content were held wlth Mr. Mahesh Sharma and Dr. John Pyle, both of the Chemistry department of Columbus College. Textbooks were reviewed and an outline of content was developed which was then used to determine concepts to be taught and student objectives. A listing of necessary laboratories and laboratory equipment was developed based on the recommendations of the College …

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 …

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 …

Eighth-Grade Pre-Algebra: Rationale And Suggested Course Of Study, Carolyn C. Holland

Theses and Dissertations

The most recent curriculum guide for junior-high mathematics published by the Muscogee County School District and distributed in February, 1988, identifies five mathematics courses that may be offered in the Junior high schools throughout the system. For seventh graders, there are courses in remedial mathematics, regular mathematics, and pre-Algebra. For eighth graders, the guide lists two courses: remedial and regular. Algebra I 1s also offered at the Junior-high level for a select group of eighth-graders who score at or above the 85th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and who achieve a minimum score of 37 on the …

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. …