This study was conducted to design a procedure that allows counselors and teachers to identify, using some predictors of student teacher success, those students able to succeed in science majors. As predictors variables, the following were used: grade point averages in general education courses (GPAG), in optative courses (GPAO), in communication courses (GPAC), in mathematics courses (GPAM) at the freshman level; and grade point averages in mathematics courses (HSM) and in language courses (HSL) at the high school level. Other predictors were high school diploma, age, sex, and major. As criterion of student teacher success, overall grade point average was used. / Using the transcripts of 124 teachers graduated from the Instituto Pedagogico de Maracay (Venezuela) in the fifth graduation class (1979), data were gathered and analyzed. Predictor variables were compared to student teacher success using zero-order correlations, and the significance of the correlations was tested using the .05 level of significance. A stepwise regression analysis was then incorporated into the study to determine those variables or sets of variables which had the greatest predictive ability. F tests were used to ascertain the significance of the correlations at the .05 level. / An analysis of variance was employed to determine the difference in overall GPA's of the science and humanities groups, and of the science and humanities potential groups as determined by the prediction equations. Finally, a Chi-square analysis was performed to determine if a significant number of students with good possibilities of success in science had selected instead a major in humanities. / The optimum sets of predictors found were for the total sample, the combination of grade point averages in optative courses (GPAO) and in high school mathematics courses (HSM); and, for the humanities group, no set of predictors was found, since the only significant predictor variable found was grade point average in communication courses. The ANOVA showed no significant difference in overall GPA's of the science and humanities groups. Finally, a significant number of potentially good students in science was found among the student teachers majoring in humanities. / Further research in this area should consider a sample from representatives of all the Venezuelan teacher colleges in order to broaden the generalizations reached. Also, the recommendation is made that replication of this study with other samples of the same size be done in order to reduce the shrinkage and to validate results. Finally, the recommendation is made that more precise measures of student abilities and success be employed; for example, by combining grade point averages with ability tests for the predictor variables, and using faculty rating plus overall GPA as measure of success. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 41-10, Section: A, page: 4365. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1980.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74304 |
| Contributors | ESTRANO, ALFREDO JOSE., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 118 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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