Low math achievement among elementary school students is a concern because students who lack a strong early foundation in mathematics may experience difficulty learning in future mathematics classes. Students in 2 rural southeastern school districts demonstrated low math achievement in 5th grade and their scores declined from 3rd to 5th grade. In this quantitative study, teacher-related factors that research has shown to predict student achievement were examined using Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and Ball and McDiarmid's emerging theory of subject matter content knowledge. The research question asked whether the teacher factors, years of teaching experience, hours of professional development in math pedagogy, college math courses completed, math teacher preparation courses, and teaching efficacy, predicted student math achievement in the 2 districts. Data were collected from 29 3rd grade teachers and 32 5th grade teachers and analyzed using binary logistic regression. The findings showed that the combination of predictors did not significantly predict math achievement of 5th grade students. However, teachers who had 1 to 9 years of teaching experience were more likely to have students with higher math achievement than those with more than 20 years of experience (OR = 4.96; p = .048). The inconclusive results indicate that additional factors that might influence students' math achievement have to be explored and additional professional development has to be offered, especially for teachers who have been teaching for 2 decades as they might have learned curriculum and pedagogy different from current practice. Positive social change will occur when all elementary teachers are able to facilitate students' learning of mathematics and the students successfully master math concepts.

Several studies have provided evidence regarding factors that contribute to the mathematics achievement gap between African American and White students. Byrnes (2003) found that 45%-50% of the difference in White and African American students' performance in mathematics was associated with socioeconomic status, exposure to learning opportunities, and motivational aspects of math while 4.5% was explained by ethnicity. The goal in this mixed method study was to examine the mathematics attitude of African American (n = 22) and White (n = 10) high school students and to allow students to voice what practices and supports they perceived enabled them to learn mathematics. The students discussed practices and supports specific to their school, home, and community. The Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory data were examined across race and performance levels. The performance levels, excelling and struggling, were based on each student's cumulative performance in mathematics. The attitude results yielded one positive significant differences between performance groups on the self-confidence construct. As for qualitative data, there were few differences across the racial groups. Unlike White excelling students (n=6), African-American excelling students (n=11) reported that they received limited encouragement from teachers to take advanced mathematics courses or to participate in extracurricular activities related to mathematics. In examining the students' responses, there were more similarities than differences across groups. Groups spoke of the need for teachers to be more patient and willing to provide additional support. Students reported that some teachers assumed something within them [students] was the reason that they had not grasped a concept (e.g., lack of attention during instruction). The question of why African American students' mathematics performance lags behind their White counterparts remain pertinent. Many of the reasons for the achievement gap reported in the literature were not explicitly expressed by the students in this study. However, the intent to have students express their perspectives and needs related to mathematics was accomplished. Thus, this insight can only enhance our efforts to improve African American students' mathematical experiences and success.

The purpose of this study was to investigate if teacher, pupil, curriculum and classroom environment variables were significantly related to adolescents' attitudes towards Biology. The study also investigated whether certain factors (as moderator variables) significantly influenced the relationships between pupils' attitudes towards Biology and each of the independent variables. For the investigation a sample of 426 standard eight, nine and ten pupils from three school-types completed an attitude questionnaire. Parametric statistics were used to analyse the results. Findings from the correlation and stepwise regression analysis revealed that the curriculum was the strongest correlate of attitude and accounted for most of the variance in pupils' attitudes towards Biology. An analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in pupils' attitudes towards Biology when gender, standard, parental levels of formal education and type of school were used as moderator variables. These findings suggest a complete restructuring of the Biology curriculum. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

The purpose of this study was to investigate if teacher, pupil, curriculum and classroom environment variables were significantly related to adolescents' attitudes towards Biology. The study also investigated whether certain factors (as moderator variables) significantly influenced the relationships between pupils' attitudes towards Biology and each of the independent variables. For the investigation a sample of 426 standard eight, nine and ten pupils from three school-types completed an attitude questionnaire. Parametric statistics were used to analyse the results. Findings from the correlation and stepwise regression analysis revealed that the curriculum was the strongest correlate of attitude and accounted for most of the variance in pupils' attitudes towards Biology. An analysis of variance revealed no significant difference in pupils' attitudes towards Biology when gender, standard, parental levels of formal education and type of school were used as moderator variables. These findings suggest a complete restructuring of the Biology curriculum. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Of the nine South African provinces, Limpopo Province has produced the worst Grade 12 results in the ten years between 1996 and 2006. Yet Thohoyandou and Mutale districts in that province performed outstandingly well from 1994 to 2006. This study aimed to find out what influential factors made the difference within these two districts between high-performing and poorly performing schools, by comparing those that performed well with those that performed badly. Data were gathered by means of questionnaires completed by a total of 87 teachers, and structured interviews were conducted with principals. The sample of 24 schools was divided into two types, ‘high performing’ and ‘poorly performing’. By means of the questionnaires, a total of 114 variables were explored, encompassing a number of different factors, from which a total of 18 hypotheses were derived: three concerning teacher factors (qualifications, home language), 10 concerning school factors (locality, number of classrooms, assembly hall, library etc. and teacher-generated problems), one concerning parental involvement, two concerning teacher motivation and management (frequency and scheduling of staff meetings), and two concerning learner motivation and management (including performance with notes and summaries). The data from both groups of schools were compared in order to test the 18 hypotheses on the influence of different variables upon Grade 12 results, the null hypothesis being, of course, that there was no influence. Before this was done, pairs of variables were also compared and subjected to chi-square testing for each of the two groups of schools to see which of the factors might be related to one another in some way, thus impacting on interpretation of the results of the hypothesis testing. For each of the two groups of schools, results from the questionnaires were analyzed by means of: <ul> <li>Frequency analyses and descriptive statistics extracted from the tables of results where they were of possible interest. Variables such as the gender of teachers were, for example, included.</li> <li>Contingency tables with chi-square analysis testing the independence of the variables where possible relationships between the variables could emerge.</li> <li>Contingency tables with chi-square analysis where the connection was not significant and independence of the variables from each other could therefore be assumed.</li></ul> The chi-square analysis tested the difference between the variables at a 0.5% level of significance. Results of the various analyses were not particularly conclusive. Those with the most reliable levels of significance suggested that the most important variables were those relating to interpersonal relationships, specifically those involving different types of contact. Where staff meetings were scheduled and not particularly frequent, Grade 12 results were better. These results were also better where there was frequent contact between parents and teachers. The results of this study and in this sample area suggest that a school’s management style is more important to Grade 12 performance than the provision of funding and facilities. Further investigation is needed before these conclusions can be generalized to other districts and provinces. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Curriculum Studies / unrestricted

This study focused on curriculum development in biology education. It was based on the present biology curricula from grade 10-12. The purpose of the study was to investigate the attitudes of secondary school learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content areas of all three grades. The assumption was that future curriculum planning and development in science (biology) education should consider learners' preferences, interests and needs. For the empirical investigation, a sample of 666 grades 10, 11 and 12 learners from three different school types (rural, ex-model C and private schools) in the Northern Province completed an attitude questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the results led to the following findings, amongst others. • With regard to willingness to be involved in curriculum development, the results were as follows: (a) Significant differences were found between learners when age and school type were used as moderator variables. (b) No significant differences were found when grade and gender were used as moderator variables. Regarding the attitudes of learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content, some low but significant relationships and a number of significant differences were found between learners' attitudes towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content for all the grades. In each instance, age, gender and school type were also taken into consideration. These findings suggest a complete and significant restructuring of the biology curriculum in secondary schools. A learner-centred curriculum design that actively involves learners in decision-making will consider the needs and interests of learners. This is seen as appropriate in an outcomes-based approach and may lead to more motivated learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Department of Psychology of Education)

This study focused on curriculum development in biology education. It was based on the present biology curricula from grade 10-12. The purpose of the study was to investigate the attitudes of secondary school learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content areas of all three grades. The assumption was that future curriculum planning and development in science (biology) education should consider learners' preferences, interests and needs. For the empirical investigation, a sample of 666 grades 10, 11 and 12 learners from three different school types (rural, ex-model C and private schools) in the Northern Province completed an attitude questionnaire. Statistical analysis of the results led to the following findings, amongst others. • With regard to willingness to be involved in curriculum development, the results were as follows: (a) Significant differences were found between learners when age and school type were used as moderator variables. (b) No significant differences were found when grade and gender were used as moderator variables. Regarding the attitudes of learners towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content, some low but significant relationships and a number of significant differences were found between learners' attitudes towards involvement in curriculum development and specific biology content for all the grades. In each instance, age, gender and school type were also taken into consideration. These findings suggest a complete and significant restructuring of the biology curriculum in secondary schools. A learner-centred curriculum design that actively involves learners in decision-making will consider the needs and interests of learners. This is seen as appropriate in an outcomes-based approach and may lead to more motivated learners. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Department of Psychology of Education)