McCray, C., Wright, J., & Beachum, F. (2004) An Analysis of Secondary School Principals' Perceptions of Multicultural Education.
The purpose of this study was to investigate secondary school principals' perceptions of multicultural education. This study used a four point Likert-type scale instrument. It sought to determine how such independent variables as school and community characteristics i.e., whether the school was located in an urban, suburban, or rural community; the socioeconomic status of the school, the school size; and the racial-make-up of the school affect principals' perceptions of multicultural education. Three hundred and two secondary school principals in a designated southeastern state were targeted for this particular study, with a return rate of forty-one percent. The results of this study showed that the principals of smaller schools tended to have a more negative perception of multicultural education. The smaller schools in the state were generally located in rural communities, served lower socioeconomic communities, and employed principals with lower levels of educational attainment than the larger schools. All of these factors were significantly related to more negative principals' perceptions of multicultural education. With the increasing amount of diversity taking place in our nation, as well as our schools, the inquiry has to be made as to whether educators are taking the browning of America seriously. It is the school principal who sets the tone of the school culture and provides the proper vision as to the direction of the institution. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of secondary school principals in a southeastern state concerning multicultural education. A total number of 302 secondary school principals were asked to respond to a survey to determine whether they had any negative perceptions of multicultural education. The researchers wanted to determine whether any negative feelings of multicultural education among these secondary school principals existed as it relates to their respective school and community | characteristics i.e., whether the school was located in an urban, suburban, or rural community; the socioeconomic status of the school; the school size; and the racial-make-up of the school. The researchers determined that there were indeed some negative perceptions that existed among these secondary school principals as it related to the school characteristics. As a result of this research, this study will allow academician as well as practitioners to better understand how issues such as multicultural education and diversity are being viewed by school leaders.
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Byer, J. (2000) The Effects of Absences and Academic Self-Concept on Academic Achievement in Two Eleventh-GradeU.S. History Classes.
This study investigated the extent of relationships between the motivation-related independent variables of absences and academic self-concept and the dependent variable of academic achievement. The research design was used to measure the extent of association between the study's variables. Participants were 34 11th graders (17 African Americans and 17 Caucasians; 19 males and 15 females) who were randomly assigned to 2 U.S. history classes that were taught by the same teacher at a public high school in Alabama. The teacher's grade book records provided data for measuring absences and academic achievement. Students' responses to the Academic Self-Description Questionnaire II instrument provided data for measuring academic self-concept. A Pearson r-test revealed a statistically significant (p<0.05) relationship between academic self-concept and academic achievement that had a strength of R square=27%. A multiple correlation test revealed a statistically significant relationship between academic self-concept, absences, and academic achievement that had a strength of R square=33%. There is a need for more research concerning motivation-related variables that may be related to academic achievement.
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- Independent Variable(s): ______
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- Research Question: ______
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- Potential Threat to Validity: ______
Person, N. (2002) Assessment of TOEFL Scores and ESL Classes as Criteria for Admission to Career & Technical Education and Other Selected Marshall University Graduate Programs.
The academic success of international students who are admitted to MarshallUniversity's career and technical education (CTE) and other selected graduate degree programs was examined. The academic success of students who were admitted to Marshall based on their Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores was compared to that students who gained admission by completing English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classes. The study sample consisted of 64 females and 62 males from 22 countries. A descriptive research design was chosen to identify relationships between quantifiable variables such as grade-point averages (GPA), TOEFL scores, and ESL scores. An analysis of the data did not reveal a high association between the CTE graduate students' TOEFL or ESL scores and their first GPAs. This lack of association between TOEFL/ESL score and GPA was interpreted as evidence that both groups were academically prepared when entering college-level studies. Both groups had low attrition rates. The TOEFL students showed a moderate association with the variable country of origin. It was recommended that a class in American culture be made a required part of the ESL program.
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Goodman, G. et al. (2005). Evaluation of an occupational rehabilitation program.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to report the findings of a program evaluation for an occupational rehabilitation program in the Midwest. Method: A chart review was performed on 50 charts using demographic data, results from tests of performance and pain measures, and data from patient satisfaction questionnaires to find evidence of excellence in the program, and to identify areas for improvement. Results: Over 97% of the participants actually completed the program and 76% returned to work within 3 months after program completion. Ninety-two percent indicated overall satisfaction with the program, and all aspects of the program were rated with a mean score of 4.25 or above on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. Evaluation of perceived pain scales of the participants indicate no discernable relationship between intensity of pain and successful return to work. Conclusion: The program showed a high completion rate, a high return to work rate, and high levels of patient satisfaction. Suggestions for improvement include an increase in use of real and simulated work activities, better documentation of pain measures, better programs to address psychosocial issues, lengthening the program, and increased communication with case managers and professionals outside of the work program.
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Finkel, D. et al. (1998) Developmental study of twin data on cognitive abilities in adulthood: The Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging.
Methods of analysis, designed to separate age and cohort effects, were applied to data from the Swedish Adoption/Twin Study of Aging. Thirteen cognitive variables were collected at 3 times of measurement separated by 3-year intervals. Data were available from 85 individuals from monozygotic (MZ) pairs reared apart, 132 from MZ pairs reared together, 207 from dizygotic (DZ) pairs reared apart, and 178 from DZ pairs reared together (age range at first assessment: 41-84 years). Time × Cohort interactions were found for mean performance on 8 of the measures, revealing stable mean performance in the younger cohorts and decreases in mean performance in the older cohorts. Cohort and time effects for total variance were mixed; little evidence was found for increases in variance with age. Age changes and cohort differences in genetic and environmental components of variance were test-specific; several Cohort × Time interactions attained significance. Heritability of the general cognitive ability factor showed significant longitudinal decreases over time in the older cohorts.
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Masui, C. & De Corte, E. (2005). Learning to reflect and to attribute constructively as basic components of self-regulated learning.
Higher education is facing a number of problems: adjusting to larger and more heterogeneous student populations, increasing the number of graduating students, and preparing for lifelong learning. Improving learning competence can make a substantial contribution to solving each of these major concerns. The growing knowledge base on self-regulated learning was taken as one of the main starting points for our study. Aims: In this article we report on reflection and attribution as basic components of self-regulated learning. We examine their trainability and their effect on academic performance. This study is part of a wider research project aimed at improving meta-cognitive knowledge as well as affective, cognitive and regulation skills. The experimental treatment consisted of an integrated set of instructional conditions, which were operationalized in a series of training sessions, as well as practice and transfer tasks. Sample: The participants in this study were 141 first year students of business economics. The experimental group and both control groups each consisted of 47 students. Method: The effects of the learning environment were investigated using a research design. To control for unintended effects of the design the experimental and the first control group had the same number of teaching hours (time-on-task) and both teachers and students were not informed about the experimental design. Attribution and reflection behaviour was measured through specific assignments; study results during and after the intervention period were taken as indicators of academic performance. To test the hypotheses, t tests and effect-sizes were calculated. Results: After the intervention the experimental students showed a higher degree of reflective behaviour than the control students. Moreover, their attribution skills had also measurably improved. The experimental students obtained better study results than their peers in the control groups. Conclusions: This intervention study, focused on the combined training of learning to reflect and to attribute constructively, provides evidence of the successful fostering both of meta-cognitive and of cognitive learning activities resulting in a positive impact on academic achievement.
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- Independent Variable(s): ______
- Dependent Variable(s): ______
- Research Question: ______
- Research Design : ______
- Potential Threat to Validity: ______