The topic of corporal punishment brings with it a long and controversial history. Although assumptions regarding corporal punishment are rampant in the scientific and popular literature, there appear to be no empirical studies specifically addressing its effects on academic achievement or classroom behavior. Nevertheless, in 1989, 31 states still sanctioned the use of corporal punishment. / The purpose of the present study was to assess the effectiveness of utilizing a behavioral diagnostic procedure to reduce disruptive and maladaptive behaviors in elementary school settings, thereby reducing the likelihood of corporal punishment. A diagnostic approach differs from the general application of behavioral procedures in a classroom. It allows the researcher to determine the functions that targeted behaviors serve for an individual child so that appropriate interventions may be implemented. / The results of the study clearly show that a diagnostic approach is an effective way to diagnose and treat recurrent school behavior problems. Subjects demonstrated substantial reductions in disruptive and maladaptive behaviors while increasing on-task behavior. In addition, frequency of corporal punishment was reduced. These findings offer a foundation for a future approach to a more effective and humane method of discipline in school settings. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-11, Section: B, page: 5964. / Major Professor: Jon S. Bailey. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of elementary teachers' use of manipulative materials for mathematics instruction with teachers' hands-on training in the use of manipulative materials, their attitude toward mathematics and using manipulatives and school climate. The study was undertaken to predict what variables contribute to teachers' use of manipulative materials. / Research shows that mathematics educators recognize the importance of using manipulative materials in teaching elementary school mathematics. However, many teachers do not use them, and many pupils do not understand the meaning behind the mathematics they are being taught. / The researcher predicted that teacher variables (the amount and recency of hands-on mathematics training with active involvement with manipulative materials, teacher attitudes toward mathematics and manipulatives, grade level and teaching experience) and school variables (principal attitudes, district policy, school climate, and number of years at a school) will account for a significant amount of the variance in teacher's use of manipulative materials for mathematics instruction. / A random sample of 172 teachers, 15 assistant principals and 15 principals from fifteen schools were chosen from three Florida counties to answer questionnaires concerning their own attitudes, school climate and district policy toward using manipulatives. The researcher visited classrooms of all participating teachers with a checklist, to observe the presence of manipulative materials, where materials were placed and evidence of children's products that showed understanding through active involvement with materials. / Pearson correlations and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. All tests required a significance level of.05. Recency of training, attitude toward using manipulatives, attitude toward mathematics, grade level and district policy were significant in the regression model. Recency and amount of training correlated highly and were believed to measure the same characteristics. / Findings indicate that of the variables studied, recent training in the use of manipulatives contributes significantly to classroom use of manipulative materials. This study lends support for ongoing inservice training or University training with hands-on instruction in the use of manipulatives for teachers at all elementary levels. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-10, Section: A, page: 2927. / Major Professor: Kathryn Scott. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

This study developed from discussions with educators concerning the constant entering and exiting of students in their schools. Its purpose was to determine if a relationship existed between high mobility and students' academic achievement; if there were differences in promotion and retention percentages and exceptional program inclusion between highly mobile students and the general district population; and if there were specific demographic characteristics that were indicative of highly mobile students. / Students in this study tended to achieve scores on standardized achievement tests that were lower than their school and grade peers, however on a basic skills measure they did about as well. The percentage of highly mobile students enrolled in exceptional student classes was more than double that of the district's general population. / Highly-mobile high-achieving students were more distinguishable from their highly-mobile low-achieving peers by good to excellent citizenship and work and study habits with some attendance problems or frequent tardiness. Highly-mobile low-achieving students tended to be more often female, low SES, non-white, frequently absent, often tardy, had poor work habits, came from one-parent homes, and had probably been retained at least once in the elementary grades. / From the data that were gathered from student records and comments from teachers, it seemed that highly-mobile high-achieving students had good study habits, good attitudes about school, were good citizens, some were overly talkative, two exhibited some anti-social behaviors, and several occasionally disobeyed school rules. Whereas, highly-mobile low-achieving students didn't carry out responsibilities, didn't put forth effort, were resistant to teacher help, had trouble making friends, had poor attendance, had trouble adjusting to new situations, didn't turn in work, lost interest in trying to improve, needed to develop better study habits, worked slowly, and didn't participate in classroom activities or discussions. / Further research with high mobility students is recommended in the following areas: socialization, parent background, low SES and low achievement, and teacher attitudes. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4018. / Major Professor: John H. Hansen. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a comprehension strategy for teaching fourth grade students to locate key words which carry the meaning in sentences would have a significant effect on their reading comprehension. Differential effects on three types of comprehenders were explored following forty MRM strategy lessons. / This eight week study involved ninety-three subjects from five intact classrooms at two elementary schools in Tallahassee, Florida. Two classrooms from one of the elementary schools served as the experimental group and three classrooms from the other elementary school comprised the control group. Existing data from the Reading Comprehension subtest of the Comprehensive Assessment Program (CAP) test were utilized to differentiate the subjects as good or poor comprehenders. The poor comprehenders were then classified as one of two types of poor comprehenders, difference-poor or deficit-poor, based on CAP Vocabulary subtest scores. Because differences were likely to exist between the intact groups, Analysis of Covariance, utilizing CAP Spelling subtest scores as the covariate, was applied to predict posttest scores on the dependent variable, reading comprehension. The Reading Comprehension subtest of the Metropolitan Reading Instructional Tests was the posttest in this study. Analysis of Covariance was applied to determine whether the experimental treatment had a statistically significant effect on the posttest reading comprehension scores of the experimental group. It was hypothesized that the treatment would be more beneficial for a group of difference-poor comprehenders who fail to comprehend despite adequate vocabulary skills. However, the analyses indicated no statistically significant effects of treatment for any of the three types of comprehenders. / Further research is recommended, particularly with comprehension strategies geared to the needs of the difference-poor comprehender. Further research utilizing the MRM strategy is also recommended, as the treatment accounted for much student-teacher interaction and pupil interest. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-05, Section: A, page: 1564. / Major Professor: Lawrence E. Hafner. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

While educational reform has involved everything from curricular changes (e.g., whole language, cooperative learning, integrated technology,) to community involvement (e.g., business partners, community leaders, and parents), this study focused on school-based reform efforts. Specifically, those efforts which involve the changing roles of teachers and administrators, and the projected educational outcomes of such changing roles on job satisfaction for teachers. / The present study investigated teacher empowerment, transformational leadership and job satisfaction from teachers in twenty-two elementary schools in a North Florida school district that implemented district-wide school reform in 1989. Relationships were identified using two instruments: Rensis Likert's "Profile of a School" for investigating school leadership and job satisfaction, and The Carnegie Foundation's "National Survey of Public School Teachers" for addressing teacher empowerment. / The purpose of this study was to produce a model for the prediction of job satisfaction from the knowledge provided by the linear combination of teacher empowerment and transformational leadership. Using this model, the linear combination of the two specified independent variables was statistically significant. The results of the follow-up tests on the contributions of each of the independent variables showed only transformational leadership being statistically significant. This might be explained by the joint variability between the two independent variables. A cross-validation procedure was also employed to the original prediction equation and did provide some support for the use of the equation for the prediction of job satisfaction. Additionally, anecdotal comments from teachers in four schools (the two highest and lowest in job satisfaction) are reported. / The emphasis on teacher empowerment and transformational leadership towards job satisfaction in this study was supported by both the literature and the findings from the data. It is clear that these variables need to be properly regarded in schools, not only for teachers, but for administrators, parents, and students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-11, Section: A, page: 4223. / Major Professor: John H. Hansen. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

The purpose of the study was to describe the differences and similarities in the knowledge structures (cognitive scripts) of expert and novice elementary school principals on the same common task in a specified area of job performance. Consistent with this purpose, the study was designed to: (a) determine if expert and novice elementary principals hold commonly shared cognitive scripts for common work tasks; (b) describe and compare the knowledge structures of expert elementary principals on the same common task in a specified area of performance; (c) describe and compare the knowledge structures of novice elementary principals on the same common task in a specified area of performance; and (d) compare the knowledge structures of expert elementary principals with the knowledge structures of novice principals on the same common task. / The cognitive knowledge structures of ten expert and ten novice north Georgia elementary principals was studied using a research design similar to the one used in the fundamental research on the nature of managerial cognitive knowledge structures conducted by Longenecker, Gioia, and Sims (1983). The research design for this study included five steps: generating, coding, sorting/labelling, retranslating, and analyzing the cognitive scripts of the expert and novice elementary principals. / From the results of this study it was concluded that expert elementary school principals retain well-defined, procedurally specific cognitive scripts, for the common task described in this study. Novice elementary school principals however, retain only moderately well-defined, cognitive scripts for the common task described in this study. / Additionally, it was concluded that while expert and novice elementary school principals retain similar scripts for the common work task described in this study; the degree of similarity in content and structure varies significantly. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-10, Section: A, page: 3484. / Major Professor: William R. Snyder. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

With the current trend toward revitalization of our schools, the importance of educational leadership is a recurring theme in the literature on education. General agreement is evident that effective educational leadership is essential. The leadership of the school principal has received particular focus, specifically the idea of "instructional leadership." / The objective of this study was to better understand the instructional leadership role of the principal. More specifically, the purpose of the study was to examine and better understand what elementary teachers believe to be important competencies from which principals must draw in order to carry out their responsibilities as instructional leaders. It was contended that teachers' opinions are essential to our understanding of what being an effective instructional leader entails. / Since this study sought to discover new knowledge concerning the principal's role as instructional leader, a naturalistic approach was employed in conducting the research. Unstructured interviews were the primary technique used in data collection. The sites were selected considering the variables of school system size, organizational structure, succession of leadership, and location (urban and rural). / Task and consideration were used as a framework to organize the competencies that emerged from the data, task referring to competencies needed to accomplish tasks and consideration to human needs of members of an organization. Ten task competencies emerged from the data: (1) knowledge/expertise, (2) accessibility, (3) evaluation of teaching, (4) purpose/direction, (5) monitoring, (6) quality enhancement/expectations, (7) communication, (8) decisiveness, (9) organization, (10) consistency. Consideration competencies included: (1) participation/consultation, (2) recognition--praise/reward, (3) support, and (4) fairness. / Findings indicated there is congruence among teachers concerning the concept "principal as instructional leader." Findings also indicated teachers have a real concern that the principal can and should function in the role of instructional leader, and they have definite opinions about what aspects of that leadership should entail. Findings further indicated that instructional leadership is a multi-dimensional behavior and that it is not context specific; even though each organization has unique features, the same kinds of competencies are required regardless of the organizational setting. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-12, Section: A, page: 3028. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

I conducted two studies on the comparative effects of the observation of learn units during (a) reinforcement or (b) correction conditions on the acquisition of math objectives. The dependent variables were the within-session cumulative numbers of correct responses emitted during observational sessions. The independent variables were the observation of reinforcement for correct responses as the control condition and the observation of corrections for incorrect responses. Eight 11-year-old target participants, 3 females and 5 males, were selected to participate in Experiment 1, during which a counterbalanced simultaneous treatment across participants design was used. Target participants and non-target peers were presented with math objectives that were not in repertoire. The non-target peers received feedback in the form of either reinforcement or a correction in 2 separate conditions while target students observed and received no feedback. Results from Experiment 1 showed that all of the target participants mastered the 3 math objectives presented during the observation of the correction condition and 7 of the 8 target participants mastered the objective during the reinforcement condition. Target participants met criterion with significantly fewer numbers of observing opportunities during the correction condition than during the reinforcement condition. Experiment 2 was a replication of Experiment 1 with greater experimental control. Six target participants, 4 females and 2 males, 10-year-olds, were selected to participate in Experiment 2, in which a between subjects counterbalanced reversal design across conditions and math objectives was implemented. Results showed that all target participants mastered 18 out of 18 math objectives presented during the correction condition and target participants mastered 10 out of 18 objectives presented during the reinforcement condition.

Textual responding or a see print and say sound response, often called "decoding," is a key component of reading. Teaching letter sounds and how to say these sounds together as words is a repertoire that allows students to become independent readers (McGuiness, 2004). However, some students have difficulty with blending letter sounds to read words (Carnine, 1997). Spelling is the reciprocal process to textual responding (McGuiness, 2004). To spell, an individual must segment component sounds in a word to write the correct graphemes. In two experiments, the experimenter tested the effects of the acquisition of matching component phoneme sounds to the words they comprise and vise-versa using an experimenter designed computer-based auditory match to sample (MTS) instructional program on textual responding and spelling of words with taught phonemes, and the rate of acquisition of new textual responses. Participants in Experiment I included 6 kindergarten students and 3 preschool students who required many instructional trials to meet textual responding objectives. Participants in Experiment II were 2 students (one kindergartener and one second grader) diagnosed with autism and 3 kindergarten students. Participants did not read words composed of letter sounds they had mastered. Results of Experiments I and II demonstrated a functional relation between the auditory matching program and textual responding and rates of learning for all participants. Results are discussed from the perspective of the Verbal Behavior Developmental Theory (VBDT), in terms of the importance of verbal developmental cusps and the joining of listener and speaker repertoires in textual responding and spelling.

This descriptive study was designed to ascertain and analyze the existing work performance and the ideal work performance of primary specialists in Okaloosa County, Florida, public schools, relative to the mandated competencies specified for the role (FS 230.2312). Data were gathered from a sample of primary specialists, principals, and kindergarten through grade three teachers by means of a mailed or hand-delivered, self-administered questionnaire designed by the researcher. Spot-check input was also obtained for comparison purposes from several educational leaders in Florida counties other than Okaloosa. / Data were processed by the Institute for Statistical and Mathematical Modeling at the University of West Florida, using the Statistical Analysis Systems Package (SAS). Frequency percentages were computed in order to describe the actual and ideal performance of primary specialists. Analysis of Variance tests, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation tests, and Scheffe test computations were used to determine significant differences in perceptions for variables of interest to the study. Free response comments and suggestions from respondents were grouped, ranked, and analyzed. / Analysis of the data produced the following conclusions pertaining to the performance of primary specialists in Okaloosa County: (1) Close contact between the primary specialist and the teachers and students in the classroom is not emphasized enough; (2) More time is spent on paperwork tasks and tasks peripheral to classroom instruction than was desired by respondents or indicated by the legislation; (3) Differences in perceptions of the primary specialist role, attributed to work position and educational experience of respondents, and variations in school needs from school to school muddle the picture of the primary specialist's role. / Recommendations of the study for the role of the primary specialist focus on a reduction of paperwork tasks, more emphasis on contact time with teachers and students, the need for clarification of the role by means of a clearly written job description and better communication of this job description to all personnel involved in the implementation of PREP, and the need to standardize education and experience requirements for the primary specialist position. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-11, Section: A, page: 3823. / Major Professor: Virginia P. Green. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.