The problem of the present study was to determine the self concept of selected Negro boys and girls and to study the relationships of their self concept to their intelligence and academic achievement.

Algebra 1 is considered an essential course to master in order to understand the concepts of higher-order mathematics, and the California accountability system designates this course for completion in 8th grade. In Shelton County, however, placement of 8th graders in this course is based on feeder school, rather than student ability, resulting in inequitable access. The purpose of this case study was to examine the experiences of administrators who place individual students in mathematics courses and the factors that influence their placement decisions. The conceptual framework for the study was administrative theory as related to processes of effective decision making. Eighteen administrators from 9 local districts described their experiences as they made decisions to place 8th grade students in Algebra 1. Seventeen administrators completed a semi-structured questionnaire on the placement decision-making process, 9 participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews, and 1 was interviewed only. Data were transcribed, open coded, and thematically analyzed. They key findings that affected placement decisions included that many students entered middle school unprepared for algebra, the local mathematics programs were not coherently designed, and aspects of an effective action-cycle decision-making process were absent. A position paper was developed that offers policy and practice recommendations that address these findings. Key recommendations include implementing clear policy, pursuing a coherent instructional program, providing student support interventions, and utilizing assessment and placement processes. This project study advances positive social change by engaging educational leaders at the local site to develop their professional practice and enhance the quality of their organizations' mathematics education program.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: Frank B. Murray, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (2000) reports an achievement gap between male and female students and majority and minority students in science literacy. Rutherford and Ahlgren (2000) describe a scientifically literate person as one who is aware that science, mathematics, and technology are interdependent human enterprises with strengths and limitations; understands key concepts and principles of science; is familiar with the natural world and recognizes both its diversity and unity; and uses scientific knowledge and scientific ways of thinking for individual and social purposes. The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to investigate African American eighth grade female students’ perceptions and experiences as learners of science literacy. A social learning theory (Bandura, 1986) and constructivist theory (Vygotsky, 1977) served as a guide for the researcher. Two questions were explored: 1. What are African American eighth grade female students’ perceptions and experiences as learners of science literacy? 2. In what ways do the perceptions and experiences of African American eighth grade female students influence their learning of science literacy? Purposeful sampling (Merriam, 1998) was used with four African American eighth grade female students selected as participants for the study. Data collection and analysis occurred between Feburary and August in a single year. Data sources included an open-ended questionnaire, two in-depth interviews with each participant (Seidman, 1991); classroom observations, participant reflective journals, student artifacts, and a researcher’s log. Data were analyzed through the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), and richly descriptive participant portraits and qualitative case studies (Merriam, 1998) were used to report the findings. Three themes emerged from the study that positively affected the perceptions and experiences of African American eighth grade female students as learners of science literacy: 1) the influence of family members, especially mothers and grandmothers, 2) the personal connections made to science concepts and real life, 3) the creative student-researched and designed projects, labs, and experiments.Trustworthiness and rigor were established through adherence to guidelines for establishing credibility, confirmability, dependability, and transferability (Lincoln & Guba, 1985).

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Bowling Green State University, 2009. / Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 118 p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Kent State University, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed July 15, 2008). Advisor: Nancy Padak. Keywords: Curriculum; reading; standards; adolescent literature. Includes survey instrument. Includes bibliographical references (p. 206-217).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-153). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-153). Also available on the Internet.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between oral reading fluency (ORF) and Maze, two common Curriculum-Based Measures (CBMs), and the statewide large-scale assessment of reading in Oregon, the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills- Reading (OAKS-R). A sample of three cohorts of eighth-grade students in an Oregon school district was used to examine concurrent validity, predictive validity, and the relation between demographic characteristics, disability status, and socio-economic status and the ability to predict performance on the OAKS-R. Findings of the concurrent validity analysis revealed a moderately strong positive correlation between the OAKS-R and both ORF and Maze measures, with ORF demonstrating a slightly stronger correlation with the OAKS-R. Multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the predictive relationship between ORF and Maze and scores on the eighth-grade OAKS-R. Both ORF and Maze were statistically significant predictors of OAKS-R, demonstrating moderately positive relationships with scores on the state reading test. Although no interaction effect was found between disability classification or eligibility for free or reduced-price meals and the different CBMs, in relation to the OAKS-R, student disability status was negatively related to performance on the OAKS-R. The relationship between OAKS-R performance and low socio-economic status, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch status, was not consistent across the cohorts. This finding is promising, as it indicates that there may be factors that schools can take advantage of to ameliorate the relationship between poverty and reading outcome measures for eighth-grade students. In light of study results, suggestions for future research, as well as implications for the field, are discussed. This study adds to the research literature documenting that ORF and Maze assessments provide schools with valuable information to predict student performance on statewide large-scale assessments of reading. With CBM data available early in the school year, schools can provide additional intervention as needed, potentially leading to improved end-of-year student performance on the OAKS-R.

The problem of this study was to determine, if possible, whether any significant difference in achievement existed when eighth-grade social studies were taught by two distinct methods, namely, the traditional and the progressive.