The purpose of the project was to determine the effects of journal writing on the thinking skills of high school geometry students. The research supports the idea that writing can enhance a student's metacognitive ability. The results show that the journals served effectively in various capacities. Each student became actively involved in his or her own learning process. Writing forced the students to synthesize information and they became aware of what they did and did not know. They recognized their individual learning style and strengths and began to take advantage of those strengths. The journals served as a diagnostic tool for the instructor and they opened lines of communication between teacher and student and personalized the learning environment. The results of the project suggest that this type of journal keeping would be effective in all disciplines but it is especially recommended that it be implemented throughout a mathematics department.

The purpose of the study was to construct a listening module for tenth grade students who were at least four grade levels behind in reading comprehension. The module was designed to be self-pacing, self-checking, motivating and improve factual recall. The module consisted of fifteen taped lessons, a taped pre test and post test, and was introduced by a motivational and directional statement. The lessons were chosen for their highly motivating nature and were organized in order of difficulty and length; the easier and shorter stories at the beginning and gradually getting more difficult and longer. In the module the students listened to a story and then were directed to complete an activity. They were also given instruction in the skill of factual recall before they began each story. They had a module booklet which contained all the activities and answers to assure independence. The pre test was administered first and when all lessons were completed, the post test was given. The module was integrated into the student1s language arts class and they worked on the module two hours a week for two weeks during the pilot testing. Included in the time devoted to the module was individual conferences with the teacher. Also, the students worked in groups of four to encourage feedback from peers.

This research project deals with the effects of standardized achievement tests on elementary-school mathematics. It contains a review of current literature dealing with the decline in mathematics achievement, mathematics assessment, concept development, and the effects of standardized testing. A survey was conducted in seven elementary schools throughout Clay County, Florida. The purpose of the survey was to assess teachers' perceptions of how preparation for the major annual standardized achievement test affects the pacing, sequence, and presentation of their mathematics curricula. Eighty-six teachers from grades one, three, and five completed a limited response questionnaire. The results indicate that a majority of elementary school teachers try to prepare their students for the standardized achievement test by covering all testable skills by testing time. However, most teachers feel that preparation for this test has a negative impact on their mathematics programs. This implies that the mathematics education of our students may be suffering due to the emphasis on preparing for a standardized achievement test.

The purpose of this study was to provide a synthesis and evaluation of research regarding the efficacy of using advance organizers as a pre instructional teaching strategy to enhance students' cognitive growth. Additionally, two sample advance organizers are provided as a model for classroom application, along with caveats for advance organizer construction, presentation and usage. The third component of this study was an evaluation of selected advance organizer studies based on the work of Mayer (1979). The conclusion was that advance organizers do facilitate long term retention and conceptual understanding if prepared and presented properly using language and examples relevant to the students' prior knowledge. Visual aids and metacognitive reading strategies seem to enhance the effectiveness of advance organizers. If the student already possesses prior knowledge of the subject matter or makes mental connections between familiar and unfamiliar content, then advance organizers are not needed.

The purpose of this study was to collect and interpret base-line data concerning the organizational culture and climate of selected elementary and secondary schools. The sample consisted of 20 parochial schools, 10 elementary and 10 secondary, in the mideast section of the United states. The study focused on three specific questions: 1) What are the cultural values of parochial schools, 2) What is the organizational climate of parochial schools, and 3) Do the cultural values and climate characteristics of parochial elementary schools differ from those of parochial secondary schools? Nelson's (1990) Cultural Value Analysis Tool (CVAT) was used to gather organizational culture data. Hoy, Tarter and Kottkamp's revised Organization Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ) was used to gather organizational climate data. Analysis of data on the 419 responses included the following: 1) One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) on real and ideal means of the sixteen cultural dimensions across the elementary and secondary schools individually, 2) One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the real means of the sixteen dimensions comparing the elementary and secondary schools, and 3) confidence intervals on the principal and teacher behaviors of the OCDQ as compared to the norm group of Hoy, Tarter, and Kottkamp. Significant differences between ideal and real means were found on dimensions of effort, status, and flexibility for the elementary schools (p < .05). Significant differences between the ideal and real means were found on dimensions of effort, time, quality, empathy, dominance, status, political, abstract, planning/organization, and flexibility (p < .05) for the secondary schools. The one-way analysis of variance conducted on the descriptive mean scores of the 16 dimensions of the CVAT showed no statistical difference between elementary and secondary level schools. Confidence intervals indicated that parochial elementary principals are more supportive, less restrictive, and as directive as the principals in the norm group. Parochial elementary teachers were more collegial, less disengaged, and as intimate in their behaviors as the teachers in the norm group. Confidence intervals formed from the mean scores on the OCDQ-RS indicated that parochial secondary principals were more supportive and as directive as the principals in the norm group. Parochial secondary teachers were more engaged, less frustrated, and more intimate in their behaviors as compared to the teachers in the norm group. All parochial schools had an open climate to varying degrees ranging from below average openness to very high openness. The 20 parochial schools valued the cultural dimensions of quality, empathy, leader, and planning/organization. Parochial schools valued the cultural theme of relations as the top priority, followed by the themes of work, thought, and control.

Guidelines for primary grade (k-3) teachers to use in oral story reading were developed as a means of increasing students' reading achievement. These guidelines were incorporated into primary grade lesson plans. Each lesson plan included a research principle which served as the lesson objective, identified a book for oral reading, and described pre, post, and during activities. The lesson plans were pilot-tested by primary grade teachers at an elementary school site. Data were collected and analyzed to determine teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of the guidelines. This analysis indicated that the teachers perceived the guidelines to be effective. Based on feedback, one additional guideline was added. Conclusions, recommendations, and implications for further research were developed.

This curriculum project was developed to provide the teacher of a self-contained primary ESOL classroom with a workable integration of the critical elements of bilingual education. The project traces the history of bilingual education in the United States. It reviews some of the important legislation and judicial decisions that form the framework for current bilingual education. It examines some learning and language theories that educators translate into practice in instructing, guiding, and evaluating ESOL students. This design was developed for use in a self contained ESOL class in Duval County, Florida. Students in the class speak a variety of languages other than English. All are learning English as their second language. Their English proficiency level varies from nonspeaker to fluent. The curriculum is designed to recognize each child's abilities and needs while meeting the second grade objectives set forth by the Duval County School Board and complying with the Duval County Public Schools Limited English Proficient Plan. It is hoped that an examination of an integrated thematic unit will provide a useful model for the primary ESOL teacher.

It was the purpose of this project to determine whether the interests of United States' nationalism had influenced the textbook coverage devoted to Latin America. The review of related literature supported the value of curriculum with a global orientation and the importance of an objective understanding of the Latin American-United States relationship.This study reviewed eight (8) world history textbooks. Seven (7) of the books were on the latest state adopted textbook list for Florida. One (1) text was currently in use in advanced World History classes in Duval County (Florida). The eight books were reviewed using a textbook evaluation form devised for this project. The findings indicated that the world history textbooks followed a traditional western civilization approach. The degree of coverage devoted to Latin America varied from a few pages to more than 100 pages.The shared events with the United States that were described in the texts, were generally non-controversial topics. Textbooks had an encyclopedic approach rather than a generalization orientation. This author concluded that Latin American coverage lacks negative stereotyping. The coverage also lacks topical coverage of current events. Specific recommendations included the inclusion of historical and current events to aid students in critically evaluating the topics while developing their own interpretations of the United States-Latin American relationship. While United States nationalism does not seem to be a factor in negative stereotyping, it may have lead to the avoidance of presenting controversial topics in the Latin American-United States relationship.

The goals of this project have been to review the relevant literature and provide activities for integrating subject areas of social studies and language in the kindergarten classroom. Research has indicated that the primary school child has learned best when the curriculum is relevant to the child's everyday life.Included in the curriculum are the communication skills denoted by the Duval County's Instructional Management System. These skills are integrated with the social studies units from the Kindergarten Keys curriculum. The topics for each unit have been those topics that children have had frequent exposure to in their everyday life.Conclusions about the study were arrived at through a review of the literature and development of the curriculum. Included were recommendations for improvement and expansion.

Effective microcomputer software resources tor early childhood education are available, but the intormationneeded to locate them and put them to work is not readily accessible to the majority of early childhood teachers. This study identifies and evaluates sources of information on microcomputer software and provides a partial listing of appropriate software which is ava1lable, along with partial listings ot courseware publishers and publications carrying information onm1crocomputer software. Criteria tor self-evaluation of courseware are suggested and recommendations are made tor insuring accessibility of resources to teachers within a school system.