Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Instituting Issue-Based Civics In The 11th Grade Classroom, Nicholas J. Diblasi, Carissa Larkin

Theses and Dissertations

There were several goals of this study. The first goal of this study was to identify if issue-based civics would produce any difference in a student's attitude for and appreciation in civics. The second goal was to identify if issue-based civics would produce any difference in a student's comprehension levels in civics. The last of these goals was to identify if the school a student attended had any impact on their attitude toward and appreciation of civics and comprehension levels in civics. The study was conducted on a sample of 70 11th grade students enrolled in American History II college …

Redefining High School American Literature In A Diverse Nation, Nancy M. Vasquez

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate why high school students in America study American literature that includes a majority of writers of white western European descent and excludes writers of multicultural backgrounds. This study also analyzed if exposure to works by multicultural writers changes students' perceptions of what constitutes American literature. The participants included 3 classes of American literature students (N=44) and American literature teachers (N=6) in a predominantly white high school. The study included a combination of textbook content analysis, teacher interviews, and an intervention consisting of a Latino literature unit taught to student participants. Key …

The Effect Of Teacher Intervention, Role Modeling, And A Gender-Balanced Bulletin Board Design On 10th Grade Male Students' Writing Apprehension, Laurie Bartolomeo

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal of this study was to identify any preexisting differences in the levels of writing apprehension between males and females in a sample of 85 10th grade high school students enrolled in English classes available during a spring 2002 student teaching placement. An adapted form of John A. Daly and Michael D. Miller's (1975) Likert-scaled Writing Apprehension Measure was used to assess the participants' levels of apprehension. Results of the first survey revealed that male participants did display a higher level of writing apprehension but the difference did not reach a level of statistical significance (p < .05). The second phase of the study involved a 4-month treatment period that included teacher intervention, role modeling, and a gender-balanced bulletin board design in an attempt to make a positive change in the male students' levels of writing apprehension. The same survey was administered to 36 males and 36 females following treatment to determine if any change occurred. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed there was no statistically significant effect of treatment on either the male or female participants (p < .05); however, a decrease in the levels of writing apprehension was seen in the means of the scores across all groups.

New Jersey Elementary School Proficiency Assessment (E.S.P.A) Mathematics Analysis: Open-Ended Questions, Scoring Rubrics, Developmental Activities And Manipulatives With Scope Of Skills For Grades K-4, Joyce Marian Scholz

Theses and Dissertations

This document provides a resource which may be used by elementary teachers to gain understanding of the State Standards, the construction and purpose of E.S.P.A., the scoring of open-ended questions and the scope of development of fourth grade skills through the elementary grades. There are three sections of this document, which include the following: the "Macro Development and Open-ended Listing For Grade 4", the Mathematics Skill Development For E.S.P.A.: Grades K - 4" and the "Mathematics Manipulatives Listing." Each section provides important information pertaining to appropriate teaching to prepare students for E.S.P.A.

This document may be used by teachers in …

Study Of The Use Of Telecommunications In The Classroom, Ed Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of integration of technology in the classroom. Specifically, the study was to look at computer software and related Internet and telecommunication usage.

The study took place in Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties in New Jersey. Teachers in four public school districts from each county were invited to participate. A letter was sent to the chief administrator of each selected school district, explaining the purpose and significance of the study. A packet was also sent to each teacher in the participating schools. The packet included an introductory letter and a …

Electronic Teacher Portfolio, Linda H. Drucker, Marguerite A. Paolone

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project is to determine the value of using an electronic teacher portfolio to document instructional methods and strategies. Research suggested the possible use of electronic portfolios by teachers to compile genuine representations of their personal style, creativity, and methodology.

As models of electronic teacher portfolios were limited, we created a template using HyperStudio 4.0 and an accompanying guidebook, so teachers could easily create a personalized electronic teacher portfolio.

To evaluate the guidebook's ease of use, we disseminated the materials to one technologically experienced teacher and one with basic computer knowledge. While creating their own electronic …

The Effect Of Collaborative Teaching On The Academic Achievement, Incidence Of Discipline Referrals, And Attitudes Toward School Of Fourth, Fifth, And Sixth Grade Regular And Special Education Students, Kathleen N. Papa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if collaborative teaching had a positive effect on the academic achievement, incidence of discipline referrals, and attitudes toward school of fourth, fifth, and sixth grade regular and special education elementary school students.

The report card grades and incidence of discipline referrals (demerits, detentions, and suspensions) from the first two marking periods of the 2000-2001 school year (prior to collaborative teaching) were averaged and compared to the report card grades and incidence of discipline referrals of the first two marking periods of the 2001-2002 school year of fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students …

Webquest Depository, Ella Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a web site that teachers could use to assist them to integrate technology into their classroom and to create a constructivist learning environment that would be conducive to teaching and learning higher order thinking skills.

The federal government requires technology integration in academic institutions. As, a result, every classroom is to be equipped with five computers. Teachers must update their pedagogical proficiencies to include technology. In addition, teachers must adapt their curriculum to accommodate the use of technology. Research has shown that a constructivist teaching style is an excellent means for students …

Directed Teaching And Constructivist Teaching And Technology, Brandy Patch

Theses and Dissertations

The utilization of the computer in the classroom as a tool to provide instruction and aid learning has had a profound impact on how educators deliver instruction. Computers have become such an important instructional tool that many educators have had to rethink and reevaluate their beliefs and ideas about the ways in which they instruct students and how students learn.

Most educators have encouraged and promoted the use of computers in the classroom to assist them in providing students with an efficient and up-to-date means of acquiring the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in learning. Because of its …

The Effect Of Male Timbre Vocal Modeling In Falsetto And Non-Falsetto On The Singing And Pitch Accuracy Of Second Grade Students, Douglas Adam Tranz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of male falsetto and non-falsetto vocal stimuli on the pitch-matching accuracy of second grade students. The investigator also investigated the following: (1) would there be a difference in pitch-matching accuracy to the two vocal stimuli based upon gender; and (2) would there be a difference in the pitch-matching accuracy of students receiving vocal modeling presented in non-falsetto.

The sample for this study included 90 students in four second-grade general music classes.

During the 12 week treatment period, students in the control and experimental groups received the same music instruction; however, …

Midi Sequencing In The Elementary Classroom, Jann M. Bradshaw

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project is to provide students and educators with an easy to follow manual that will help them learn and successfully participate in MIDI sequencing in an elementary educational and personal setting.

Research for the study involved the review of the New Jersey Core Standards and national standards for music and music technology in education. Music technology websites for educators were also reviewed. A case study group of seven fifth grade students was formed for the project. This group was known as the Music Technology Club. The purpose of the group was to learn MIDI sequencing through …

The Association Between Learning Processes And Formal Music Electives Among Sixth Grade Music Students, Anthony C. Varga

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of learning process frequencies among sixth grade music students who elect to participate in musical ensembles. Is there an association between the student's choice of elective music ensemble and their learning process?

Forty-five sixth grade music students participated in the study with their parents' permission. Subjects were administered the Learning Combination Inventory during their scheduled music class. They were asked to first respond to 28 Likert-type statements rating their answers as best fitting their own individual learning. The second part of the instrument required the subjects to respond to three …

When Human Life Begins, Susan K.P. Das

Theses and Dissertations

The moment attributed to the beginning of human life is debated not only in religious and political communities, but within the scientific community as well. Particular attention is given to this issue as advances in science make it possible to manipulate the embryo and fetus at early stages of development. This study explores these issues as they are revealed in the literature. In particular, examination of the stages of human development associated with this issue and the correlation between these stages and their influence on ethical concerns in current scientific technologies such as abortion, cloning, and embryonic stem cell experimentation.

The Effects Of Instructional Games On Student Achievement In The Social Studies, Christine A. Pilotti

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of instructional games on student achievement. It has been suggested by educators that instructional games may increase the performance and motivation of students. According to a pretest-posttest control group design, a sample of 34 students was administered a pretest and then instructed on the history of New Jersey for the same amount of hours. The control group used two worksheets as a supplement to the lessons, whereas the treatment group used two instructional games as a supplement to the lessons.

After analysis of all scores, a t-test for nonindependent samples …

Effects Of A Student Book Club On Third Graders' Literacy Attitudes And Performance, Kirsten M. Bellamy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify a method of improving the reading attitudes of elementary students. A book club program was chosen as the treatment because it incorporates sociocultural perspectives in learning and opportunities to put previously learned skills to use. An experimental and control group of third grade students, with 28 children in each group, were administered the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS), an instrument that tests attitudes toward recreational and academic reading. After determining beginning attitudes, the experimental group participated in a book club, which utilized small group reading sessions followed by whole class discussions of …

The Effect Of Grading The Work Of Fourth Grade Students In Red Ink And Their Academic Self-Esteem, Jennifer L. Walton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on fourth grade students' academic self-esteem when marking their work in red ink versus blue or black ink. It was hypothesized that there would not be a significant difference in the academic self-esteem of fourth grade students whose work was marked in red ink, compared to their work that was marked in blue or black ink.

The study was a quasi-experimental design, examining students in a fourth grade classroom. Nineteen students participated in the study. Prior to the pretest, student work had been marked in blue or black ink for …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Amount Of Parental Reading To The Student At Home And The Student's Second Grade Standardized Reading Achievement Score, Kathleen M. Jewell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the amount of time parents spent reading to their child at home and the child' s second grade standardized reading achievement score. This study used a parental survey to question the parents of third grade students in an urban elementary school on their reading habits and those of the student.

Forty-eight parents (n=48) responded to the survey. The results were then analyzed to find the significance of a relationship. A Chi-square analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between the amount of time a parent spends reading to …

The Effectiveness Of Multicultural Storytelling On Attitudes Toward Different Cultures In The Elementary Classroom, Michele Patruno

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to consider the effects of multicultural storytelling and students' attitudes toward different cultures within the classroom. It was hypothesized that exposure to multicultural storytelling in the classroom with a discussion period to follow will produce positive attitudes toward different cultures as opposed to students who are not exposed to the storytelling. The subjects of the study were fifty-five third grade students from a southern New Jersey suburban school district. The study consisted of an experimental and a control group. Each group was administered a pretest and a posttest to determine if changes took place. …

The Effect Of Literature Circles On The Perceived Writing Self-Efficacy Of Fourth Grade Students, Shannon Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This quasi-experimental research study purported to determine if fourth grade students who were exposed to the integration of literature circles in their classroom would have significantly different scores on a writing self-efficacy scale than students not exposed to this method of instruction. The sample was comprised of two heterogeneous classes of fourth grade students enrolled at an inner city elementary school in southern New Jersey for a total of 40 students. The nonequivalent control group design was the selected research method. The classes were randomly chosen for either the experimental or control conditions and pretested using the Writer Self-Perception Scale. …

The Effect Of Participatory Instruction On The Motivation Of Third Grade Students, Jessica L. Deck

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect differing instructional techniques has on students' motivation in terms of their attitude towards school. Students were pretested using the Inventory to Measure Attitude Towards School and reading (IMATSR). After the pretest, the reading class was conducted in a lecture format with the entire class reading the same novel. Students read a portion of the book and then answered comprehensive questions on a worksheet, prior to discussion. When the book was completed, a comprehensive exam and IMATSR posttest were given. Next, the teacher introduced five books to the class. Each student …

A Comparison Of Pre-Post Student Outcomes And Perceptions After An Intervention Of A Secondary Alternative Education Program For Disruptive Students, Lloyd Sain, Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the effect of an alternative education program on the grade point averages, attendance, and suspensions of secondary school students. In order to meet this purpose, the study tested two research questions that focused on the grade point average, attendance, and suspensions of disruptive secondary school students prior to their intervention of an alternative education program and after their return to home school for two consecutive nine weeks. Length of enrollment and its impact on grade point averages, attendance, and suspensions were also examined. The study also investigated to what extent the characteristics …

The Effects Of A Pen Pal Program On Attitude Toward Letter Writing In Fourth Grade Students, Lisa Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted with a group of fourth grade elementary school students in a rural area of southern New Jersey to determine whether engaging in a pen pal program would affect their attitudes toward letter writing, as determined by the scores on a writing questionnaire. The sample was a group of 50 students, consisting of 28 boys and 22 girls, of which 14 percent were black and 86 percent were white. The experimental group exchanged letters with pen pals for a period of eight weeks, while the control group did not. Language instruction for both groups remained the same. …

The Effects Of Reinforcement Activities On Reading Comprehension In A Third Grade Classroom, Jessica A.C. Tobin

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of reinforcement activities on the reading comprehension of third grade students. It was hypothesized that students who completed a hands-on art activity after hearing a story would score significantly higher on a reading comprehension test than those who finished a worksheet activity. Both the students who completed a hands-on art activity and those who did a worksheet activity would score significantly higher on a reading comprehension test than those who received no reinforcement activity after hearing a story. All 23 students in the third grade classroom were given all three …

A Parent Weekly Newsletter And Its Effect On Student Achievement, Brigid Alise Mcguigan

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if students whose parents receive a parent weekly newsletter would perform better on a unit test than those students whose parents did not receive a parent weekly newsletter.

The sample in this study consisted of 48 students from a public third grade in southern New Jersey. The experimental group consisted of 22 students whose parents received a weekly newsletter for four weeks, from the teacher, about the current social studies unit being taught. The control group consisted of 26 students who were taught the same social studies unit by the same teacher …

The Relationship Between Gender, Grade Level, And Attitude Toward Reading For First Through Fourth Grade Students, Meghan T. Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between gender and attitude toward reading and grade level and attitude toward reading. This correlational study used a non-random, convenience sample population that was derived from an elementary school that houses one transitional-first grade, and five classes each of first, second, third, and fourth grades. The sample consisted of 153 first through fourth grade students. Forty-three students were in the first grade, thirty-four students were in the second grade, forty-three students were in the third grade, and the remaining thirty-three participants were in the fourth grade.

The Elementary Reading Attitude …

The Effects Of Performance Based Activities On The Achievement Of The Theme Assessment For Beginning Sounds In Kindergarten, Renee Kruse

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if students who receive performance based activities would perform better on activities that required the identification of beginning sounds than those who were taught using traditional teaching methods.

The sample in this study consisted of 89 students from a public kindergarten in southern New Jersey. The experimental group consisted of 45 students who received the sorting performance based activities. The control group consisted of 44 students who were exposed to more worksheets and verbal identification of beginning sounds than performance based activities.

A pretest and posttest was used to determine if sorting …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Self-Esteem, Academic Achievement, And Popularity On Fourth And Fifth Grade Students, Carolyn M. Arata

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to find two relationships. The first relationship is between academic achievement and self-esteem and the second relationship is between self-esteem and popularity among fourth and fifth grade students.

The population used for the purpose of this study was a multiage classroom consisting of both fourth and fifth grades. The classroom was located in southern New Jersey. The population consisted of both male and female students. The students were given a questionnaire to measure personality and the Nonsexist Personal Attribute Inventory for Children which measured self-esteem. Academic achievement was measured by averaging grades, from mathematics, …

The Effect Of Value Instilling Literature On Elementary Aged Children, Erika S. Pello

Theses and Dissertations

In order to determine the effect of lifeskill instruction on the decision-making skills of third graders, a study was performed in a southern New Jersey elementary school. The sample consisted of approximately forty third grade students between the ages of seven and ten years old. The students in both groups were initially pretested with an opinionnaire, which included twelve multiple-choice questions. Lifeskill education was later incorporated into the curriculum for Group A only, which served as the experimental group for the study. Both classes were then posttested. Two t-tests were performed to determine whether there was a significant difference in …

Nutrition And Student Achievement In Kindergarten Students: An Experimental Study, Stephanie Lynn Terista

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the effects of nutrition on student achievement. The subjects were a transitional kindergarten class, ages 5-6, who took part in a 3-week experimental study.

Each week the subjects were instructed to perform a cognitive task directly following a treatment. Week 1, the cognitive task was performed following a nutritional snack; week 2, the cognitive task was performed following a non-nutritional snack; and week 3, a cognitive task was performed without any snack at all.

The results indicated that the findings for each week were not statistically significant: F (1,13)=213.86, …

A Study Comparing Students' Attitudes Toward School In 2000 And In 1979, Rachel C. Hayes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare students' attitudes toward school in grade 4 and grade 10 in 1979 and 2000. The researcher analyzed the data gathered from the surveys of 47 students in grade 4 and 47 students in grade 10. The students surveyed attended a private elementary school (grade 4) and a public high school (grade 10), both located in southern New Jersey. The instrument used, the Student Sentiment Index, was analyzed by means of independent t-tests. The results of the 2000 implementation of the survey were then compared to the 1979 administration of the same survey. …