Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Publication Date

5-4-1976

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to describe the structure, organization, and strategies of the Eisenhower Middle School mathematics program and to evaluate the effects of an individualized mathematics program on the students achievement in mathematics at Eisenhower Middle School. The study was limited to the students at Eisenhower Middle School, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the school year, 1974-75. There was an average of 199 seventh graders and 241 eighth graders that participated in the program. The hypothesis of the study was that there were no significant differences in the performance of the students in the mathematics program at Eisenhower Middle School on the pre- and post- test in mathematics when the method of instruction was individualization. The structure, organization, and strategies of the Eisenhower Middle School mathematics program featured the following principles: nongrading, individualization, flexibility, team teaching, and creative experiences. The curriculum was structured to allow the student to be taught at his level of learning. The instructional program included team teaching, individual attention, learning skills, development with emphasis on process versus acquisition of content, and a focus on social or interaction skills and processes. The students at Eisenhower Middle School were pre- and post-tested using the SRA Green Form Level C Achievement Test. The areas tested included mathematical computation, concepts, and reasoning. Using a table of random numbers two groups of students were drawn from the total seventh and eighth graders. The first group contained 44 students and the raw scores of these students were used in analyzing the data. The second group contained 100 students and an average of the grade levels of the three areas tested on the pre- and post-test were used in the analysis. The Pearson-Product Moment coefficient of linear relationship and at value were computed for the groups. The correlated t model formula was used and a t value for the first group in computation was 7.89, in concepts - 4.65, and in reasoning - 4.67. With 43 degrees of freedom these values were significant beyond the 0.01 level. The t value for the second group was 11 .96 and with 99 degrees of freedom this was significant beyond the 0.01 level. The results of the analysis of both groups showed that the null hypothesis of pre-test and post-test mean equivalence could be rejected and the conclusion drawn that there was a significant difference between the performance of the students in the mathematics program at Eisenhower Middle School when the method of instruction was individualization.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Secondary Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy

First Committee Member (Chair)

George C. Stoumbis

Second Committee Member

Sigmund Andrew Mierzwa Jr.

Third Committee Member

Robert Harold White

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