The purpose of the present investigation was to attempt
to improve the adjustment of students transferring to a new high
school part way through the year by the introduction of a buddy
scheme. During the period between March 7th and September 18th,
1978, 54 new students were randomly allocated to an experimental
group (i.e. paired with a buddy) or to a 'no buddy' control group
for three weeks from the date of their enrolment.
The buddies consisted of 12 volunteers from each of years
seven to ten, who attended four training sessions with the
counsellor (four for each form). The training centred round a
discussion of their feelings and needs when encountering new school
situations and led to a delineation of practical things which could
be done to help new students. Emphasis was also given to
communication skills.
After the new students had been at the school for a
month (or 20 school days), they completed L.S. Wrightsraan's School
Morale scale and a student questionnaire which provided two
measures of adjustment, viz. the students' perception of whether
or not they had formed new friendships and their 'adjustment' to
school. At the end of their first two months, the number of days
absent (apart from those for sickness) were noted.
There was no significant difference between the adjustment
of transfer students in the experimental group compared to the
control group as measured by the four outcome measures. That is,
there was no significant difference between the two groups as
measured by School Morale scores, their perception of the formation
of new friendships, adjustment to school (a questionnaire
measurement) or the mean number of days absent.
Buddies with effective communication skills were successful
in helping new students make a satisfactory adjustment to their new
school. The continuation of the scheme was favoured both by the
buddies and by the transfer students. Buddies felt that the scheme
helped new students to settle in more quickly to the classes and to
make friends. Transfer students felt that the scheme helped them
to learn about the school very quickly, to meet the teachers and to
make friends.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219118 |
| Date | January 1979 |
| Creators | Lawton, Ailsa, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Teacher Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Ailsa Lawton |
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