Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 149-158). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1982.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Homework has been a topic of interest in the public, research and educational arenas throughout the last decades. Yet, researchers disagree on the influence of homework on academic achievement and its value as an instructional technique. Similarly, educators, parents and policymakers have debated on the appropriate amount of homework that students should have, if any. This report reviews the literature on the relationship between homework and academic achievement. Starting from an overview of the historic views of homework in the US and the early literature on the topic, this report provides a thorough analysis of recent literature (post-1980 studies), including factors mediating the effect of homework on academic achievement, such as gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age and grade level, parental involvement, aspirations and attitudes, teachers’ attitudes, cognitive ability, homework time, motivation and social interactions. The report concludes with implications and suggestions for practice and education policy. / text

published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The present study investigated the effects of different goal orientations on motivation after failure. A 2 goals (mastery vs. performance) x 2 regulatory focuses (approach vs. avoidance) experimental design was adopted. Junior secondary students (N = 173) voluntarily attended a prefix learning class. They were randomly assigned one of the four conditions and finished some computerized tasks. The result indicated performance-approach participants had lower persistence than mastery-approach, mastery-avoidant and performance-avoidant participants after failure feedback, regardless of self-efficacy level. Mastery-oriented participants displayed higher interest and higher willingness to seek challenge than performance-oriented participants after failure. Avoidance focus participants revised more materials than approach focus participants after failure. / published_or_final_version / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Not available / text

The purpose of this study was to determine if the MOVE IT Math Reform model has had an impact on student achievement and teacher instruction in the area of mathematics. The data for this study were collected in an elementary school in a large metropolitan public school in Georgia, were the majority of the students receive free or reduced meals. Questionnaires were given to students and their teachers in grades first through fifth. To evaluate instruction in the classroom the Observation Based Instructional Assessment (OBIA) tool was used to assess the independent and dependent variables as well as the social interactions. The objectives in the OBIA are rated as lower order thinking skills, higher order thinking skills and dispositions. The dependent variable is the teacher and student outcomes. These are measured in terms of lower and higher level thinking skills and dispositions. The first part of the study was an ex post facto design to collect data on the variables in order to determine the ones that have the most impact on student achievement. From this analysis, a treatment was developed on the impacting variables which were implemented in the 2007-08 school year? The second part of the study was a quasi-experiment design. Teachers were trained in a staff development program on the treatment in the first weeks of the Fall semester. They implemented the treatment during the remainder of the school year. Data for the investigation were collected via teacher and student questionnaires and the OBTA. The data analyses were accomplished using the Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) package. Twenty teachers in grades 1 to 5 were selected for this study. The results showed that there was a statistical relationship between student self efficacy in math and student achievement. Therefore, there is a relationship between student self-efficacy in math and student achievement in math. The conclusion drawn from the findings suggest that student self-efficacy impacts student achievement in math. Educators at all levels need to be informed of the impact self-efficacy has on improving student achievement in mathematics and the MOVE IT Math reform model.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Educational Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences