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The Effects of Individualized Instruction in Science Upon the Achievement, Attitude, and Self-Concept of Inner-City Secondary Students

This study examined the student's achievement, attitude toward science, and self-concept of ninth grade physical science students in an individualized science program and ninth grade physical science students in a traditional science class. The research was conducted to ascertain the effect of individualized instruction upon the achievement, attitude, and self-concept of inner-city junior high school science students, and to analyze the implications of these effects for administrators, teachers, counselors, and others who are interested in the optimum achievement of students to science instruction. The sample size was 150 ninth grade physical science students enrolled in an individualized science program and 150 ninth grade physical science students enrolled in a traditional program. The students were administered the Stanford Achievement Test: Science, Remmer's Attitude Toward Any School Subject Scale, and the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. The experimental design of the study was patterned after the posttest only control group design. Preliminary data were obtained for each student within each participating class. The preliminary data were used for establishing group equivalence and as a concomitant observation in the analysis of covariance. The preliminary data were obtained from the permanent records of each participating school and involved the student's age, I.Q., natural science achievement level, and composite achievement level. From the data found in this study and in the related research, the following conclusions were drawn: 1. Physical science students taught by the individualized science program do not achieve at a significantly higher level, as measured by a standardized achievement test in science, than do students taught by the traditional method. 2. Physical science students taught by the individualized program do not differ significantly from the students of traditional physical science in attitude toward science. 3. Physical science students taught by the individualized program do not differ significantly from the students of traditional physical science on a standard self-concept scale. 4. The student variables of I.Q., background in natural science, and composite achievement level are important factors in successful achievement in physical science. 5. The student variables of I.Q., background in natural science, and composite achievement level are important factors in attaining a high positive attitude toward science. The I.Q. of the student seems to be the most important of the above factors. 6. The student variables of I.Q. and natural science achievement are important factors in attaining a high self-concept. 7. There was a significant relationship between grade point average in science and student achievement in science. 8. There was a significant relationship between grade point average in science and attitude toward science. 9. There was a significant relationship between grade point average in science and self-concept.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc500416
Date12 1900
CreatorsReed, Louis Harper
ContributorsDever, Wayman Todd, Miller, William A., Hardy, Clifford A., Simms, Richard Lewis
PublisherNorth Texas State University
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatvii, 112 leaves, Text
CoverageUnited States - Texas
RightsPublic, Reed, Louis Harper, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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