The two purposes of this study were to examine the relationship between the field-independent/field-dependent cognitive style, self-esteem, and attitude toward school in slow-learning third grade children and to determine if teacher knowledge of the personality characteristics and educational implications of this cognitive style would influence the self-esteem and attitude toward school of these children. The study was conducted within schools receiving supplemental instructional resources under Title I of Public Law 89-10 (Special Educational Needs of Educationally Deprived Children).Twelve teachers and those of their students whose scores on the Otis-Lennon Mental Abilities Test were between 70 and 90 were included in the study. The teachers' level of field-independence/field-dependence was determined by the use of the Embedded Figures Test and the Block Design Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The children's level of field-independence/field-dependence was determined by the use of the Children's Embedded Figures Test and the Block Design Subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Revised (WISC-R). The Self-Appraisal Inventory (Primary Level) and the School Sentiment Index(Primary Level) were used to determine the children's self-esteem and attitude toward school. These two instruments were given before and after a 12-week treatment program.The relationship between field-independence/field-dependence and self-esteem was investigated by computing the children's average Z score for the Children's Embedded Figures Test and the WISC-R Block Design Subtest and then correlating these average scores with the scores obtained on the Self-Appraisal Inventory (Primary Level). The relationship between field-independence/field-dependence and attitude toward school was also investigated by correlating the children's average Z scores for the measures of field-independence/field-dependence with the scores they obtained on the School Sentiment Index (Primary Level).The influence of teacher knowledge of the personality characteristics and educational implications of field-independence/field-dependence on self-esteem and attitude school was investigated with a research design which controlled for experimental arrangements and positive teacher expectancy. Four intact groups (three classrooms per group) were used. To control for experimental arrangements, teachers in two of the groups received information concerning the field-independent/field-dependent cognitive style and were given the cognitive style of the slowlearning children in their classes who were participating in the study. Teachers in the other two groups were used as controls and received irrelevant information about the neurological impress method of remedial reading instruction. All of the teachers were asked to apply the information they had received in their teaching. To control for the effects of positive teacher expectancy, the information provided to teachers in one of the two relevant treatment groups was presented in a way designed to create a positive expectancy. The information provided to the teachers in the remaining relevant and irrelevant groups was present in a way designed to create a neutral expectancy. Data was analyzed using a three-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures on one factor. The two non-repeated factors were teacher knowledge and teacher expectancy. The pre and post treatment scores obtained on the Self-Appraisal Inventory (Primary Level) and the School Sentiment Index (Primary Level) served as the repeated measures.This study did not detect any correlation between the level of field-independence/field-dependence and self-esteem or between the level of field-independence/field-dependence and attitude toward school in slow-learning 3rd grade children. Nor did it demonstrate that teacher knowledge of the personality characteristics and educational implications of field-independence/field-dependence have any influence on the self-esteem and attitude toward school of these children.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/180084 |
| Date | January 1980 |
| Creators | Ring, Richard R. |
| Contributors | Church, Jay K. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | viii, 150 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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