<p> For most American High School students, taking algebra in high school has always been a rite of passage. Traditionally, Algebra I has long been a ninth-grade student's first experience with higher-level mathematics. To maintain a competitive edge in a global economy, numerous school districts in the United States have rearranged mathematics curricula to relocate algebra down to the middle school. Placement in eighth grade algebra provides students with an opportunity for rigor and higher levels of attainment in mathematics coursework by the completion of grade twelve. The effectiveness of moving algebra from grade nine to grade eight has become a highly debated topic amongst educators and lawmakers. Policymakers and administrators that favor moving Algebra I into the eighth grade believe doing so will assist in closing the achievement gap currently in existence for gender, race and socioeconomic status. To achieve this, substantial sums of money must be invested in the implementation of algebra programs in middle school. Proponents of grade eight algebra strongly advocate for algebra placement prior to high school as an intervention to reduce the gap between American students and their global counterparts. "The U.S. also needs to do a better job of identifying and nurturing its mathematically talented youth, regardless of their gender, race, or national origin. Doing so is vital to the future of the U.S. Economy" (Hyde, Mertz, &amp; Scheckman, 2009). In contrast, researchers such as Nomi (2012) have argued that early algebra placement is not beneficial for every child. Researchers such as Levy (2012) and Shearing (2016) agree that Black and Hispanic students, particularly of low socioeconomic status are victims of an achievement gap. "Students who are eligible for free and reduced lunch tend to be approximately two years behind that of students of the "average better-off student of the same age" (McKinsey &amp; Company, 2009, p. 6). While there has been agreement among the experts regarding the existence of the gap, their suggested solutions conflict. </p><p> The research conducted by this researcher will contribute to the existing literature on Algebra I placement. The purpose of this study was to examine both the proportionality of student placement in grade eight Algebra I by gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and the impact of grade eight Algebra I participation on academic performance on mathematics in a large, urban, New Jersey Public School District. This impact was measured based on the outcomes of Algebra I and Geometry final grades, Algebra I and Geometry PARCC scores, and tenth-grade mathematics PSAT/NMSQT scores. This study examined the relationships between academic outcomes for eighth-grade Algebra exposure and academic outcomes as described.</p><p>

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Music education has been shown to be related to a variety of positive outcomes, including student achievement in math. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between music education and student achievement in math. The framework for the study was Miendlarzweska and Trost's model of musical instrument training. A deidentified archival data set consisting of middle school students' (N = 116) total math scores on the Iowa Assessments was used to determine the impact of music education on students' math achievement, while controlling for students' sex and socioeconomic status. Changes in student achievement were measured by calculating math scores between the 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2014-2015 academic school years. The data were accessed from a private school system in the northeast United States. Results of a t test indicated that there were no differences in baseline scores between the group of students who received music education and the group of students who did not receive music education. Results of a regression model for 2013-2014 showed that music education was a significant predictor of math growth scores (p = .015). Results of a regression model for 2014-2015 indicated that only socioeconomic status was a significant predictor of math growth scores (p = .039). Implications for social change include improved stakeholder awareness of the value of music education for student achievement, which may motivate teachers to become advocates for music education and administrators to include music education in their curriculums. By increasing student access to music education, students may be helped to achieve to their fullest potential.

Creating a scientifically literate society appears to be the major goal of recent science education reform efforts (Abd-El-Khalick, Boujaoude, Dushl, Lederman, Hofstein, Niaz, Tregust, & Tuan, 2004). Recent national reports in the U.S, such as Shaping the Future, New Expectations for Undergraduate Education in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology (NSF,1996), Inquiry in Science and In Classroom,. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 2001), Pursuing excellence: Comparison of international eight-grade mathematics and science achievement from a U.S. perspective (NCES, 2001), and Standards for Science Teacher Preparation (NSTA 2003) appear to agree on one thing: the vision of creating a scientifically literate society. It appears from science education literature that the two important components of being a scientifically literate individual are developing an understanding of nature of science and ability to conduct scientific inquiries. Unfortunately, even though teaching science through inquiry has been recommended in national reports since the 1950's, it has yet to find its way into many science classrooms (Blanchard, 2006; Yerrick, 2000). Science education literature identfies several factors for this including: 1)lack of content knowledge (Anderson, 2002; Lee, Hart Cuevas, & Enders, 2004; Loucks-Horsely, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; Moscovici, 1999; Smith & Naele, 1989; Smith, 1989); 2)high stake tests (Aydeniz, 2006); 3) teachers' conflicting beliefs with inquiry-based science education reform (Blanchard, 2006; Wallace & Kang, 2004) ; and, 4) lack of collaboration and forums for communication (Anderson, 2002; Davis, 2003; Loucks-Horsely, Hewson, Love, & Stiles, 1998; Wallace & Kang, 2004). In addition to the factors stated above this study suggest that some of the issues and problems that have impeded inquiry instruction to become the primary approach to teaching science in many science classrooms might be related to teachers NOS conceptions. Developing desired understanding of nature of science conceptions and having an adequate experience with inquiry learning is especially important for science teachers because science education literature suggests that the development of teachers' nature of science conceptions is influenced by their experiences with inquiry science (Akerson et. al. 2000) and implementation of science lessons reflect teachers' NOS conceptions (Abd-EL-Khalick & Boujaoude, 1997; Matson & Parsons, 1998; Rosenthal, 1993; Trowbridge, Bybee & Powell, 2000; Turner & Sullenger, 1999). Furthermore, the impediments to successful integration of inquiry based science instruction from teachers' perspective are particularly important, as they are the implementers of inquiry based science education reform. The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between the teachers' NOS conceptions and their inquiry beliefs and practices in their classrooms and how this relationship impedes or contributes to the implementation of inquiry based science education reform efforts. The participants of this study were in-service teachers who were accepted into the online Masters Program in science education program at a southern university. Three online courses offered in the summer semester of 2005 constituted the research setting of this study: (1) Special Problems in the Teaching of Secondary School Science: Nature of Science & Science Teaching, (2) Curriculum in Science Education, and (3) Colloquium. Multiple data sources were used for data triangulation (Miles & Huberman, 1984; Yin, 1994) in order to understand the relationship between participants' NOS views and their conceptions and beliefs about inquiry-based science teaching. These include: (1) VNOS questionnaire, (2) Electronic postings, (3) Semi-structured interviews, (4) email correspondence, and (5) videotapes. The study revealed that the relationship between the teachers' NOS conceptions and their inquiry beliefs and practices is far from being simple and linear. Data suggests that the teachers' sophistication of NOS conceptions influence their perception of inquiry science instruction in variety of ways. In a nutshell, these include: 1) The teachers become more confident in their ability to implement inquiry-based science classes; 2) Better understanding of NOS conceptions assists the teachers develop a higher appreciation of inquiry science instruction; 3) The teachers' misconceptions about nature of science appear to be connected to their misconceptions about inquiry science instruction; 4) A better understanding of NOS concepts seems to have stimulate the teachers to put more emphasis on some aspects of inquiry more than others; and 5) Sophistication of teachers' NOS conceptions influences their decisions about the type of inquiry they plan to incorporate in their instruction. This study also suggests that enhancing teachers' NOS conceptions should be among the main objectives of inquiry-based professional development programs and courses that are taught in science education programs. Science education literature suggests that teachers' resistances to adopting inquiry-based science instruction may be related to their inadequate or inappropriate knowledge of the nature of science (Lederman & O' Malley, 1990; Lederman, 1992; Ryan & Aikenhead, 1992). This study reveals that enhancing NOS conceptions helps teachers in their efforts to integrate inquiry into their instruction by boosting their confidence in their abilities to teach science through inquiry. This study reveals that especially teachers who lack strong science backgrounds and prior experience with inquiry science are at risk. Not having a strong background in science and lacking extensive experience with inquiry science negatively influences the teachers' confidence and thus delays their efforts to implement inquiry-based science lessons. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Middle & Secondary Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Fall Semester 2007. / Date of Defense: June 21, 2007. / Nature of Science Conceptions, Reform in Science Education, Professional Development, Online learning, Inquiry learning / Includes bibliographical references. / Alejandro J. Gallard, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeff Chanton, Outside Committee Member; Nancy Davis, Committee Member; Janice Flake, Committee Member.

This thesis is an interpretive inquiry which focuses on the curricular elements of a middle school program. The research project is based on the data collected from two specific classes and from five particular teachers, during the implementation phase of a middle school program. The research makes use of multiple methodologies including an empirical study, narrative accounts by teachers and students, interviews, autobiographical and biographical material, and notes from a personal journal. It was intended that the thesis create a detailed, multi-dimensional, image of the school curriculum. Common threads evident in the data obtained from the teachers indicated that there was an element of uncertainty regarding expectations for the middle school program, a perception that there was conflict over resources, a belief that disputes about curriculum `ownership' had impacted negatively on the program, and a degree of disappointment that the program's potential had not been fulfilled. Despite these constraints, all the teachers noted high levels of professional satisfaction and a sense of collegiality within the middle school team. The students did not express any particular preferences regarding curriculum content, but were principally concerned about the social environment within their own homegroup class and within the wider school community. A significant proportion of the students sampled commented positively on the relationships that they had developed with their peers and teachers. The findings appear to indicate that, provided that the class work is of some relevance and interest, young adolescent students are more concerned about who their teacher might be, rather than what they might actually teach. / The tensions that are inherent in the debate about the curriculum and who owns it are identified as difficulties that teachers and administrators need to address if new middle school programs are to be successfully implemented. It is a genuine issue that concerns teachers and schools, therefore, efforts should be made to find ways to ensure that debate about the curriculum takes place within an educational framework which, initially, is separate from any discussion regarding the management and allocation of resources. It might also be helpful if the debate were, in some way, held in `neutral territory', and not viewed as a matter of choice between a traditionally conservative curriculum and a radically progressive one, but perhaps something else. The thesis concludes with a suggestion that Surrealism might be used as a device by which the integrity of the subjects, found in a traditional curriculum, may be preserved in a structure that still allows for the rich and, perhaps, the strange possibilities of an integrated program. It could be seen as a recombination or different combination of disciplines which may create a more interesting whole, however, it would still be recognizable or, at least, its components would be. Reference is made to one particular painting by Rene Magritte, "Time Transfixed" as a means of illustrating this proposition.

This study offers a new approach to raising mathematics achievement through the synthesis of Multiple Intelligences theory and Self-Efficacy theory. It proposes that the opportunity to learn through intellectual strengths will raise mathematics achievement both directly from students' increased understanding and indirectly through raising students' self-efficacy for mathematics. A mathematics learning program was developed for year eight students in a rural secondary school based on tasks resonating with their intellectual strengths. Both quantitative and qualitative indicators were used to compare the effects of the Multiple Intelligences learning program with the standard delivery of the mathematics curriculum to year eight students over their first term of study. After nine weeks participation in the Multiple Intelligences learning program, students demonstrated improved engagement and more positive attitudes in mathematics classes relative to their peers receiving standard instruction. The expected gains in mathematics achievement and self-efficacy were not demonstrated within the one-term span of the study. Assessment of the fidelity of implementation of the principles of Multiple Intelligences theory was confirmed through assessment of the classroom learning environment. Analysis of the reasons for the lack of differentiation revealed limitations in the traditional measures used for assessing the mathematics learning outcomes gained within the Multiple Intelligences program. / The loss of available year eight classroom instruction time from institutional assessment requirements and school policy decisions were found to be higher for the class receiving the Multiple Intelligences program than for the comparison class, and this is a significant confounding variable. It is concluded that significant changes to school organisational structures and assessment procedures are required before the cognitive and affective advantages of Multiple Intelligences learning may be realised optimally in the mathematics classroom.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an interdependent group-oriented contingency on the MVPA levels of middle school students during the fitness portion of physical education lessons. Participants were randomly selected target students from three intact eighth grade classes. A combination of a delayed multiple baseline and changing criterion design was implemented to determine the effects of the intervention on students' MVPA levels (dependent variable). MVPA levels were measured using momentary time sampling with definitions from the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time. The independent variable consisted of an interdependent group-oriented contingency program. When target students reached a physical activity level criterion, for a specified number of days, the whole group was rewarded with a choice of activities. Inter-observer agreement, using the scored-interval method (during 20% of the lessons), for students' MVPA levels was 95% (range 91-100%) and 86% (range 74-94%) for the teacher's instructional behaviors. Visual analysis of graphic data was used to demonstrate the functional relationship between the intervention and MVPA levels. The overlap of data points, mean level changes, trends, variability within and between conditions, and number of days that the criteria were attained by the target students were used to establish the experimental effects. A higher level of student MVPA was demonstrated in all classes, during all three units when the initial criterion level of the intervention was implemented. During the second level of intervention, higher MVPA levels were demonstrated in one of three units. Across all three units, when the intervention was in effect, target students attained the MVPA criteria 21 of the 27 days (78%). Post-checks, conducted three weeks after the withdrawal of the contingency program, revealed that MVPA levels decreased slightly while remaining above the level observed during baseline. / Graduation date: 1998

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Baylor University, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 173-180).

Thesis (M.A.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2007. / Thesis advisor: David Harackiewicz "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in PHysical Education and Human Performance" Includes bibliographical references (leaves 30-32). Also available via the World Wide Web.