18 research outputs found
The Effects of Student Decision Making Upon Spelling Achievement and Attitude Toward the Spelling Curriculum
The primary purpose of this study was to determine
whether spelling achievement and attitude toward the
spelling curriculum differ under three different approaches
to decision making i n the spelling curriculum. The three
different approaches to decision making were: (1) teacher
decision making (T1), (2) combination teacher and student
decision making (T2), and (J) student decision making (T3).
With respect to the three different approaches to decision
making , the second purpose of the study was to determine
whether spelling achievement and attitude toward spelling
were differentially affected by grade level .
The population was forty volunteer teachers and
their classrooms in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Each
third, fourth, and fifth grade classroom was randomly
assigned to one of the three treatment groups. In T1
the teacher made decisions for students concerning the spelling
content and spelling study methods, in T2 the students made
decisions concerning the spelling content and the teacher made decisions concerning study methods, and in T3 the
students made decisions concerning both the content and
study methods related to the spelling curriculum. In this
study student decision making was implemented through the
use of a contracting procedure.
Data for this study consisted of four scores for
each student: (1) Spelling Achievement Test (pretest),
( 2) Spelling Achievement Test (post-test), (J) tabulation
of total number of words spelled correctly on weekly spelling
tests, and (4) Spelling Attitude Scale. Classroom mean
scores provided the basic data for analysis. The data were
analyzed by means of analysis of variance and covariance
procedures employing a J x J factorial design.
The following conclusions were supported: (1) There
is no difference in spelling achievement under (a) teacher
decision making (T1), (b) combination teacher and student
decision making (T2) , and (c) student decision making (T3).
(2) There is no interaction effect between the different
degrees of student decision making and grade levels on
spelling achievement . (J) There is no difference in
attitude toward the spelling curriculum under the three
different degrees of student decision making. (4) There
is no interaction effect between the different degrees of
student decision making and grade levels in attitude
toward the spelling curriculum.
The following implication for theory was suggested
by this investigations Student decision making appears to result in student achievement and attitude that is
equivalent to that under teacher decision making in the
spelling curriculum. Students appear to be effective in
determining content and study methods in the spelling
curriculum. Theorjes of decision making must be developed
which deal with decision making as it relates to the
learning process.
The data suggest the following implications for
teaching , (1) In learning situations where students can
be involved in currjculum decision making , they may learn
as willingly and satisfactorily as under teacher decision
making. (2) Contracting is an effective and practical
technique for individualizing instruction and incorporating
student decision making in the spelling curriculum.
Implications for research as suggested by this
investigation include the following, (1) There is a need
to investigate the effects of student decision making upon
achievement and attitude by (a) using more broadly representative
samples of students, (b) looking at effects over
a longer period of time, (c) using different testing
instruments, or (d) implementing student decision making
in other areas of the curriculum. (2) Student decision
making effects might be interwoven with the quality of
the negotiation between the teacher and the student,
especially with respect to the provisions for commitment ,
success, and feedback concerning growth in decision making.
An in depth analysis of the negotiation interaction might provide useful information concerning the effectiveness of
specific aspects of the negotiation procedure. (3) An in
depth analysis which would compare the achievement and
attitude of individual students under different degrees of
student decision making may reveal information concerning
the most effective decision making situation for the
individual student
“Do you have a brother? I have two!”: The Nature of Questions Asked and Answered in Text-Focused Pen Pal Exchanges
Authentic learning experiences are those in which students engage with texts as well as the behaviors of reading and writing within contexts of real-world use beyond traditional academic use. This study provides quantitative analysis of how students (n=200) engaged with an adult pen pal in a shared literacy experience. Findings indicate that students actively participated with their adult pen pals asking and answering more personal questions than literature-based questions. Data were disaggregated for reading ability and gender. Students who were considered above-grade level readers asked and answered significantly more questions than students considered below grade level in reading. Girls asked significantly more questions, both personal and literature-based, than boys, however there were no significant differences in the number of questions answered. Implications and need for future research are discussed
Best practices in literacy instruction
IndeksBib. setiap bab.xxiv, 358 hlm. : il. ; 21 cm