There were five main purposes for the current thesis: (1) to address the need for more quantitative studies to evaluate student academic success within the inclusive classroom setting; (2) to apply a recently released program assessment rubric for special education services to determine the level of special education service delivery in the specified location; (3) to evaluate the reliability of the results of the rubric mandated by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education (2008); (4) to compare the results of the standardized student achievement tests with the rubric results in relation to program effectiveness; and (5) to investigate potential confounding factors related to the current study design. The goal of this thesis was to provide information to the Living Sky School Division and to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education on the implementation and success of the inclusion model in a rural Saskatchewan setting. In addition, results were intended to provide information on assessment instruments employed in the measurement of program effectiveness. The analysis was conducted as a mixed-methods case study that included two parts: (1) the first assessment indicated that students with learning difficulties scored significantly higher on standardized academic achievement measures while in an inclusive setting as opposed to scores while in a pullout setting; and (2) the second assessment determined that special education service delivery was <i>emerging/developing</i> to <i>evident</i>. The correlation coefficient of rubric results was calculated at á = .69. A variety of general measurement issues, including small sample size and use of historical data, in relation to the current study design, were discussed.

There were five main purposes for the current thesis: (1) to address the need for more quantitative studies to evaluate student academic success within the inclusive classroom setting; (2) to apply a recently released program assessment rubric for special education services to determine the level of special education service delivery in the specified location; (3) to evaluate the reliability of the results of the rubric mandated by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education (2008); (4) to compare the results of the standardized student achievement tests with the rubric results in relation to program effectiveness; and (5) to investigate potential confounding factors related to the current study design. The goal of this thesis was to provide information to the Living Sky School Division and to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education on the implementation and success of the inclusion model in a rural Saskatchewan setting. In addition, results were intended to provide information on assessment instruments employed in the measurement of program effectiveness. The analysis was conducted as a mixed-methods case study that included two parts: (1) the first assessment indicated that students with learning difficulties scored significantly higher on standardized academic achievement measures while in an inclusive setting as opposed to scores while in a pullout setting; and (2) the second assessment determined that special education service delivery was <i>emerging/developing</i> to <i>evident</i>. The correlation coefficient of rubric results was calculated at á = .69. A variety of general measurement issues, including small sample size and use of historical data, in relation to the current study design, were discussed.

This dissertation surveyed the validities of teaching the chemistry of water purification in South African schools using locally available materials (LAM) through the scientific inquiry (SI) approach. The researcher randomly selected four secondary schools that provided a small and purposive study sample of thirty-two Grade 11 learners and four teachers. The research design applied a mixed-method approach, consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Within this approach, the outcome of SI instruction that integrated LAM was compared with that of conventional instruction through a quasi-experimental control groups design. The researcher identified in the analysis of interviews and questionnaires the most complex aspects of the chemistry of water purification for learners to understand as redox reactions, acid-base systems, precipitations, and chlorination. However, the use of LAM through the scientific inquiry approach made it easier for learners to understand the concepts. The high mean scores ( =80.88; SD=10.28) in Research-based Test 2 (RBT2), of the experimental groups taught through SI signified that those learners immensely benefited from an active and collaborative learning environment. The lowly scores ( =61.69; SD=4.21) of control groups could be attributed to a linear and passive participation of learners in the conventional classroom instruction. The marks of the two groups in post-test RBT2 were paired and contrasted using GraphPad software. The results showed that t =6.699, df =21 with a significant value of 0.0001, which is less than 0.05 (p<0.05), hence it can be inferred that the difference between the means of the two groups was not only statistically important but also worth an explanation. The higher performance scores in RBT2 and the Rubric Assessment Tool (RAT) in experimental groups represents that the intervention was successful in the implementation of instructional design in the the study. In addition, the learners had mastered the crucial aptitudes that included self-discipline in understanding, cooperative learning, searching relevant text on topic, hands-on or laboratory practice and logical thinking in problem solving by working through the SI activities that used LAM. / Mathematics, Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education with specialization in Chemistry Education)

This dissertation surveyed the validities of teaching the chemistry of water purification in South African schools using locally available materials (LAM) through the scientific inquiry (SI) approach. The researcher randomly selected four secondary schools that provided a small and purposive study sample of thirty-two Grade 11 learners and four teachers. The research design applied a mixed-method approach, consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Within this approach, the outcome of SI instruction that integrated LAM was compared with that of conventional instruction through a quasi-experimental control groups design. The researcher identified in the analysis of interviews and questionnaires the most complex aspects of the chemistry of water purification for learners to understand as redox reactions, acid-base systems, precipitations, and chlorination. However, the use of LAM through the scientific inquiry approach made it easier for learners to understand the concepts. The high mean scores ( =80.88; SD=10.28) in Research-based Test 2 (RBT2), of the experimental groups taught through SI signified that those learners immensely benefited from an active and collaborative learning environment. The lowly scores ( =61.69; SD=4.21) of control groups could be attributed to a linear and passive participation of learners in the conventional classroom instruction. The marks of the two groups in post-test RBT2 were paired and contrasted using GraphPad software. The results showed that t =6.699, df =21 with a significant value of 0.0001, which is less than 0.05 (p<0.05), hence it can be inferred that the difference between the means of the two groups was not only statistically important but also worth an explanation. The higher performance scores in RBT2 and the Rubric Assessment Tool (RAT) in experimental groups represents that the intervention was successful in the implementation of instructional design in the the study. In addition, the learners had mastered the crucial aptitudes that included self-discipline in understanding, cooperative learning, searching relevant text on topic, hands-on or laboratory practice and logical thinking in problem solving by working through the SI activities that used LAM. / Mathematics, Science and Technology Education / M. Sc. (Mathematics, Science and Technology Education with specialization in Chemistry Education)