by Chun-fat Lin. / Thesis submitted in: December 1997. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-108). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgments --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.vii / List of Figures --- p.viii / List of Appendices --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1 --- Background of the Problem / Chapter 1.1 --- Stress and Secondary School Students --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Coping Behaviour of Secondary School Students --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3. --- Gender and Age Difference in Coping Behaviour --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4. --- The Influence of Family Environment on Coping Behaviour --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW / Chapter 2.1. --- Adolescent Coping / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Conceptualization of Adolescent Coping --- p.7 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Situational and Dispositional Factors in Adolescent Coping --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Development of Adolescent Coping Instrument (COPE) --- p.12 / Chapter 2.2 --- Gender and Ethnic Differences in Coping / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Coping Behaviour of Males --- p.14 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Coping Behaviour of Females --- p.15 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Age Differences in Coping --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Ethnic Differences in Coping --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3 --- Family Environments and Adolescent Coping / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Family Environments as Sources of Stress and Support --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- The Influence of Parenting Styles on Adolescent Coping --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- The Influence of Family Environments on Adolescent Coping --- p.27 / Chapter 2.3.3.1 --- Family Environment Scales ( FES ) --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.3.2 --- Relationships Between Family Environment Subscales and Coping Strategies --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.3.3 --- Relationships Between Family Environments and Coping Strategies --- p.34 / Chapter 2.4 --- "Chinese Confucian Culture, Family Relations and Adolescent Socialization" / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Essences of Chinese Confucian Culture --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Family Structure and Adolescent --- p.39 / Chapter 2.4.3 --- Adolescent Socialization in Family Context --- p.40 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY / Chapter 3.1. --- Overview of the Study --- p.44 / Chapter 3.2 --- Significance of the Study --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3. --- Subjects / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Pilot Study --- p.48 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Main Study --- p.49 / Chapter 3.4 --- Instruments / Chapter 3.4.1 --- COPE --- p.49 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Family Environment Scale (FES) --- p.52 / Chapter 3.5 --- Procedure --- p.54 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- RESULTS / Chapter 4.1 --- Descriptive Statistics of the Whole Sample --- p.56 / Chapter 4.2 --- Coping Strategies of Adolescents / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Rank Order of Question Items of COPE --- p.57 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Descriptive Statistics of COPE --- p.60 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Gender and Age Difference in Coping --- p.62 / Chapter 4.2.3.1 --- Gender Difference in Coping --- p.62 / Chapter 4.2.3.2 --- Age Difference in Coping --- p.64 / Chapter 4.3. --- Family Environments Perceived by Adolescents --- p.66 / Chapter 4.4 --- Family Environment Types (FETs) / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Demographic Information of FETs --- p.68 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Description of FETs Based on FES Subscales --- p.70 / Chapter 4.5 --- Family Environment Types and Coping Strategies --- p.74 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE --- DISCUSSION / Chapter 5.1 --- Coping Strategies of Adolescents --- p.77 / Chapter 5.2 --- Family Environments Perceived by Adolescents --- p.79 / Chapter 5.3 --- Relationship between Coping Strategies and Family Environments --- p.80 / Chapter 5.4 --- Family Environment Types --- p.81 / Chapter 5.5 --- Family Environment Types and Coping Strategies --- p.82 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Expressive FET --- p.83 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Conflictual-Controlling FET --- p.84 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Permissive FET --- p.84 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- Cohesive-Organized FET --- p.85 / Chapter 5.5.5 --- Crucial Role of Control in FETs --- p.86 / Chapter 5.6 --- Implications of Findings --- p.87 / Chapter 5.7 --- Limitations of the Study --- p.91 / Chapter 5.8 --- Directions of Future Research --- p.92 / REFERENCES --- p.95 / APPENDICES / Appendix 1 Number of Items and Descriptions of Items of COPE Subscales --- p.109 / Appendix 2 Number of Items and Descriptions of Items of FES Subscales --- p.110 / Appendix 3 Reliability Coefficients of COPE in Other Studies --- p.111 / Appendix 4 Inter-correlations between subscales of COPE --- p.112 / Appendix 5 Reliability Coefficients of FES in Other Studies --- p.113 / Appendix 6 Inter-correlations between subscales of FES --- p.114 / Appendix 7 Inter-correlations between subscales of FES and COPE --- p.115

In this study I investigate alternative seating practices (ASP) within a public school orchestra. Traditionally, orchestras have employed hierarchical seating structures through the use of chair challenges and seating auditions in efforts to motivate students to practice. However, minimal research is available on the outcomes of hierarchical seating structures within an orchestra. Acknowledging that teachers are at the forefront of our curricular decisions for the orchestra, I explored these challenges from an autobiographical point of view, also sharing the experiences of my students who participated in the orchestra program for three years during the time in which ASP was first integrated. Twenty-five student participants volunteered to partake in this study and parents and administrators were interviewed, to share their perspectives of ASP. Data collection includes; individual and group interviews, letters/essays/journals, and archival collection. Participants were 10th-grade orchestra students in a public school setting 20 miles outside of a major U.S. city. ASP demonstrates how it can act as a practice of social justice within a community of practice. Students reported that ASP influenced their awareness of self and others and through their perceived experiences; they were able to transfer their awareness to the outside world. Students attributed their musical success to their unique musical-making experience formed through motivation, peer modeling and discovery of others’ musical capacity. This study asserts that using ASP in an orchestra can satisfy measures of musical performance and promote an equitable classroom in which students can form socially just principles to use as members of society.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / In a review of the literature, no studies were found on the achievement of school-age English-Speaking Caribbean students. This study was initiated to remedy this lack by examining the characteristics of twenty-one 12-18 year old high achieving and low achieving English-speaking Caribbean students and the influence of twenty-one parents' and seventeen teachers' attitudes on the students. Support was found for Bandura's theory that role models influence people's self-efficacy which in turn influences their choice, effort and persistence. The study further supports the resiliency theory which suggests that people can be successful, despite environmental challenges. This study also found that the unidentified bilingual status of English-speaking Caribbean 12-18 year old students and their new environment with unfamiliar teaching styles, regulations and procedures were additional challenges not commonly identified in the literature. In order to support self-efficacy and promote resiliency, 1) better assessment of English-speaking Caribbean students' ability to use Standard English and 2) greater planning and collaboration among parents, teachers and students are recommended. The following are questions to be addressed in future research: 1) What are the similarities and differences among students, parents and teachers regarding expectations of ESC students' school performance? 2) What are ESC students' reading and writing proficiency levels in Standard English? 3) How can schools support self-efficacy and resiliency characteristics in all students? / 2031-01-01

Public school systems in America continue to show unequal learning outcomes for African American students. This investigation seeks to understand salient factors that are critical and essential to the process of increasing the probability of academic resilience (success) among African American students. Academic resilience is defined as "the process of an individual who has been academically successful, despite the presence of risk factors (i.e., single parent family, low future aspirations, and low teacher expectation) that normally lead to low academic performance" (Morales & Trotman, 2011, p.1). Using the baseline data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS: 2002), a multilevel logistic model was developed that aimed to identify individual and collective characteristics of African American students who were academically resilient. The multilevel logistic model revealed five statistically significant student-level variables. When comparing two African American high school students one unit apart in SES, for the student with the lower family SES, one unit increase in their academic expectation would make the student 3.21 times more likely to be academically resilient; whereas for the student with the higher SES, one unit increase in their academic expectation would make the student 2.48 times more likely to be academically resilient. Consider two African American high school students one unit apart in terms of teacher expectation, the one with higher teacher expectation was 1.67 times more likely to be academically resilient than the one with lower teacher expectation. Spending one more hour in homework per week was 1.12 times more likely to make an African American high school student academically resilient. Lastly, when comparing two African American high school students one activity apart in terms of school involvement (e.g., band, chorus, sports, or academic clubs), the student with the higher number of school involvement activities was 1.67 times more likely to be academically resilient than the student with the lower school involvement activities. The multilevel logistic model also revealed two statistically significant school-level factors. Specifically, when comparing two high schools one unit apart in school academic climate, African American students in the high school with higher academic climate were 7.44 times more likely to be academically resilient than African American students in the high school with lower academic climate. When comparing two high schools one unit apart in school remedial efforts, African American students in the high school with lower school remediation efforts were 4.54 times more likely to be academically resilient than African American students in the high school with higher school remediation efforts.

Th e purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of the Basic Interpersonal Relations program as a facilitator of interpersonal relations for high school students. Three intact classes of high school introductory psychology students were used to contrast the effectiveness of the Basic Interpersonal Relations program as shown by the experimental group with a treatment-control group receiving didactic instruction, and with a no-treatment control group. All subjects were pretested with the following instruments: Attitude Toward Others Scale (MMPI), Attitude Toward Self Scale (MMPI), Rotter's Internal- External Control Scale, and an achievement test based on the content of the Basic Interpersonal Relations program. Following pretesting the experimental group began training using the Basic Interpersonal Relations program. While the experimental group received training using the Basic Interpersonal Relations program, the treatment-control group received an equal amount and distribution of time in interpersonal relations training based on the Effectiveness Training principles of Dr. Thomas Gordon. The no-treatment control group participated in their regularly scheduled psychology class. At the conclusion of training, all subjects were posttested using the same measures used for pretesting. In addition, a student opinion survey was administered to the experimental and treatment-control groups subjects, and a parent questionnaire was mailed to the parents of all subjects. The results of the study were not conclusive. Some support was indicated for the effectiveness of the Basic Interpersonal Relations program as a facilitator of interpersonal relations of high school students by the results of the parent questionnaire, the student opinion survey, and the Basic Interpersonal Relations program achievement test. No significance was obtained using the Attitude Toward Self Scale, Attitude Toward Others Scale, and the Internal-External Control Scale. Further research is needed to clarify the effectiveness of the Basic Interpersonal Relations program for use with high school students.

Home/school/community factors of student jobs, extracurricular activities, church activities, community activities, family activities, and television watching were examined to determine the relationship between these factors and the time students spent on homework. Two hundred forty-seven high school students were used as subjects. A student time log and questionnaire were developed and used to collect the data. Eight students were closely examined through case studies. When time spent on homework was correlated with time spent at a job, the results were strongly negative (r = -.89). Time spent on homework was moderately correlated (r= + .46) with time spent in extracurricular activities. When time spent on homework was correlated with time spent in family activities, the results were moderately negative (r= -.41 ). Time spent on homework was moderately correlated (r= +.64) with time spent in church activities. When time spent on homework was correlated with time spent watching television, the results were strongly negative (r = -.77). No statistically significant difference was found between the number of conflicts above average students reported doing homework and the number of conflicts below average students reported doing homework. A call was made for parents, students, and school personnel to beware of the possible negative effects of students spending excessive time at jobs, watching television, and in extracurricular activities.

The study challenges current literature, which views the notion of problem-finding as the initial identification of a problem to be solved. The concept of problem-finding in this study is that problem-finding continues throughout the problem-solving process and is not distinct from it. This thesis aims to develop a better understanding of problem-finding by examining high school students using problem-finding to solve industrial design problems. The study seeks to find out what types of problem-finding exist and what roles they play in solving design problems. To explore problem-finding, this study uses a Think Aloud methodology to examine the thinking of three high school industrial design students and one high school industrial design teacher solving an authentic industrial design problem. Protocol data was gathered from the subjects and then transcribed, segmented and analysed in three ways, each of which became progressively more specific: Firstly, a macroscopic examination which identified problem-finding episodes occurring throughout the design process; secondly, a microscopic examination which identified four categories of problem-finding; and lastly, a microscopic examination which looked at the role played by the different problem-finding categories in solving design problems. The findings of this study are fourfold. Firstly, problem-finding was found to be used throughout the entire design process. Secondly, there were four categories of problemfinding. Thirdly, each category played an important role predominantly through interaction with other categories. Lastly, the more experienced a person was, the more able they were to use problem-finding effectively to solve design problems. Many current practices use trial and error methods to solve design problems. The importance of this study is that through a better understanding of problem-finding, designers may be able to use metacognitive strategies more efficiently in the process. Similarly, in educational practice, high school design students may be able to learn to think about the methods they use to solve design problems, and this may result in more creative designs.

Recent New Zealand (NZ) research found rates of physical fighting and weapon carrying among high school students in Dunedin were equal to that of rates for the United States (US). The NZ Government has identified violence as a priority health issue. However, NZ is lacking information on the prevalence of the problem, and the identification of factors which may provide clues for prevention. The current understanding of the social context in which physical aggression takes place, has focused on risk factors that are present in the adolescents� ecological frame. Emerging protective factors are increasingly being recognised as major determinants that can moderate the adverse effects of risk factors. However, little research into protective factors has been conducted in NZ. The aim of this thesis was to investigate physical aggression among adolescents in NZ. This was explored through four in-depth studies: i) a national survey of secondary school principals and counsellors ii) focus groups with students in Otago; iii) an online survey with students in Otago and iv) a survey with teachers in Otago. The national survey of secondary school principals and counsellors points to a degree of concern about physical violence in NZ. One in ten reported fights occurred frequently, and over a quarter of principals and over one third of counsellors reported that at least one student at their school had been caught carrying a weapon. Focus groups with Otago adolescents indicated that fights often began as verbal disagreements escalating to physical fights, that a fight should be defined as serious as opposed to a play fight; and differences were also found between fighting at school and outside of school. Participants suggested that items may be reported as weapons, even though they are not being carried for such purposes. Previous estimates of aggressive behaviours may have been unjustifiably high and possibly hid signifcant differences in the nature of the aggression being reported. A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was undertaken with Otago secondary school students, and confirmed that physical aggression among NZ adolescents is a significant problem. Mutivariate analyses identified the school as an important factor in the social system of adolescents; in particular feeling safe, not feeling alienated and being treated fairly. The results highlighted the need to concentrate on strategies that improve students� positive engagement with school as a means to reduce physical aggression. The final study of Otago secondary school teachers showed that while teachers did not consider physical aggression as a major problem in their schools, they did report frequent occurrences of physical fighting. Respondents also reported some teachers experienced significant physical aggression from students. Physical aggression among NZ adolescents is a significant public health problem that needs addressing. This behaviour impacts directly on the education offered to students, the safety of the environment in which learning takes place, and the stress of the work place for teachers. This thesis has identified school engagement as the most promising protective factors for young people against involvement in physical aggression.

Dress and appearance constitute the visual realm in the dialectic of identity construction and are powerful communicators in this process, since dress and appearance are the symbolic means by which we locate ourselves and others through interaction within social contexts. Dress is used to differentiate and create boundaries for group belonging and exclusion, and in the uniform has been understood to have a capacity to suppress individuality and to identify the wearer with objectives beyond the self. Adolescence is a time of intense identity work and in New Zealand coincides with secondary schooling during which school uniforms are usually worn. Is freedom in dress necessary for development of personal identity? The effects of same-dressing on identity development in adolescence were investigated in the context of the history, practice, and meanings of school uniform in New Zealand secondary schools. This was investigated through a nationwide survey, analysis of selected school photographs and records, interviews with students, review of legal and bureaucratic structures supporting the practice, and review of the literature of school uniforms, and education and social history of New Zealand. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods contributed to analysis of both dress practices in wider New Zealand contexts, and more personal use of dress in the formation of personal identity. Analysis of school uniforms as mechanisms of power, constituting both the student and the self, drew on symbolic interactionist theory and on Foucault�s later interpretations of power, while also linking material culture and social structures. New Zealand has a strong and continuing tradition of school uniform in secondary schools, yet this practice is characterised by change, variety, and differences, challenging the sameness which uniforms are supposed to embody. Meanings and functions of uniforms have changed considerably over the twentieth century, evolving through extreme and diverse expressions of the expectations of social, political, and education systems towards their young people, and mediated in turn by students themselves. While school uniforms both manifest and mediate the power of the school over the bodies of children, the power embodied in uniforms is not always and only a repressive power, but is also a generative, productive power. Students described uniforms as a form of shelter and protection, embodying belonging and participation in the school and a projected future of success and engagement in adult society and work. Uniforms also maintained a breadth of possibilities consistent with a fluid class system and egalitarian ideals of New Zealand society. While students believed self-expression essential for the formation of a self, they believed this need could be met through the use of minor differences in uniforms, while uniforms allowed them to retain the advantages of group belonging. Schools allowing some personal expression effectively strengthened the sense of belonging and participation, by maintaining the individual in positive relation to the group. The interaction that creates a self consists in symbols, involving meanings, appearances, and communication: differences and similarities from part of these complex interactions.

Kenneth Goodman's view of the reading process suggests that the reader utilizes three cue systems (grapho-phonic, semantic and syntactic) in obtaining meaning from the visual array. The study was designed to explore means by which first year high school students could be taught syntax informally to facilitate their utilization of syntactic cues in reading. The literature was reviewed to provide an understanding of those syntactic structures which were likely to present difficulty and to discover theoretically sound bases for teaching strategies. Because of the absence of data on Australian students in the first year of secondary school, a survey of the Grade 8 population of a large metropolitan high school was undertaken. This survey linked syntactic knowledge to scores obtained on a standardized test of reading comprehension. Suggestions on the informal teaching of grammar were then proposed.