This thesis describes a research study that investigated the relationships between school level environment and student outcomes. The study involved 620 teachers and 4645 students from 57 Australian secondary schools in all states and territories. Student outcome measures included mathematics achievement, attitudes and beliefs toward mathematics and were collected as part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study. Teachers perceptions of their school environment were measured using the School Level Environment Questionnaire and included variables such as student support, affiliation, professional interest, mission consensus, empowerment, innovation, resource adequacy and work pressure. Previous research has shown that factors at the school level, like environment, influence education at the classroom level and to further investigate this, data regarding the instructional practices of teachers was included in the analysis. The unique methodology used to investigate influences on student mathematics achievement is also described in this thesis. A two-step approach to modelling consisted of the analysis of two conceptually distinct models. The first was an analysis of the measurement model, which specifies the relationships between the observed variables and the latent variables. The second involved a structural equation model, which specifies the relationships among the latent variables as posited by theory and previous research. In addition, a multilevel analysis was included to further partition the variance in student outcomes between the student level, the classroom level and the school level. The results of these analysis linked particular variables of interest to improved student outcomes. / For example, teachers who felt supported and empowered were more likely to employ student-centred instructional practices and that work pressure and resource adequacy influenced the instructional approaches in the classrooms. The success attribution of students determined which method of instruction promoted positive outcomes. Furthermore, these results indicate relationships between student outcomes, attitudes and achievement, and the relationships between attitude and achievement were recursive with influences from student background variables. The multilevel analysis demonstrated the importance of the influence of factors at the classroom level in influencing student outcomes and highlighted factors at the school level that explained differences in achievement. The significance of this study is in the provision of evidence that demonstrates the effects on student outcomes and not only supports, but significantly adds to previous research. This thesis provides practical implications for teaching and for school policy that can be implemented to promote positive student outcomes. The thesis also provides a rationale for further research that would involve an investigation of the effects of change as suggested from the results of these analysis reported from this study.

Darbe atlikta teorinė nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių skaičių ir skaičiavimo mokymo taikant aktyvaus mokymosi metodus analizė. Iškelta hipotezė, kad aktyvaus mokymosi metodų taikymas ugdant nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinius gali padėti jiems pasiekti aukštesnių matematikos mokymosi pasiekimų. Anketavimo ir testavimo metodais buvo atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas – nustatyti aktyvaus mokymosi metodų poveikį III klasės nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto mokinių skaičių ir skaičiavimo gebėjimams. Atlikta aprašomosios statistikos duomenų analizė. Tyrime dalyvavo 10 nežymiai sutrikusio intelekto III klasės mokinių. Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjamas specialiųjų poreikių mokinių supratimas apie matematikos reikalingumą kasdieniame jų gyvenime; įtvirtinami numeracijos ir aritmetinių veiksmų atlikimo įgūdžiai. Svarbiausios empirinio tyrimo išvados: 1. Remiantis atliktų diagnostinių pjūvių (testavimo ir anketavimo metodais) prieš pradedant eksperimentinį darbą su eksperimentinės grupės mokiniais ir jį pabaigus rezultatais nustatyta, kad: visų eksperimentinės grupės mokinių matematikos testų rezultatai ženkliai pagerėjo. Sėkmingiausiai eksperimentinės grupės mokiniams sekėsi atlikti skaičių numeracijos tematiką atitinkančias užduotis. Tuo tarpu kontrolinės grupės mokinių testavimo rezultatai taip ženkliai nesikeitė ir aukštesnių rezultatų pasiekė ne visi grupės mokiniai. Vienas kontrolinės grupės mokinys baigiamojo testo metu surinko mažiau balų, nei pradinio testavimo metu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In the Master’s thesis there was performed a theoretical analysis of teaching numbers and counting to the slightly mentally retarded students by applying the techniques of active learning. There was raised a hypothesis, that an application of the techniques of active learning in the education of the slightly mentally retarded students can help them achieve higher outcomes in learning mathematics. There was performed a research aimed at ascertaining the influence of the techniques of active learning on the ability of numbers and counting of the III(rd) grade’s slightly mentally retarded students by using the methods of questionnaire and testing. There was performed an analysis of the descriptive statistical data. 10 slightly mentally retarded students of the III(rd) grade participated in the research. In the empirical part there was analysed the students’ with special needs understanding about the necessity of mathematics in their daily life, there was consolidated the skills in performing numbering and arithmetical operations. The main findings of the research: 1. Following the results of the performed diagnostic sections (the methods of questionnaire and testing) before the beginning of experimental work with the experimental group’s students and at the end of it there was ascertained that: mathematics tests’ results had significantly improved of all students in the experimental group; the students had performed the tasks corresponding numbering’s theme the most successfully... [to full text]

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