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Title: A COMPARISON OF TEACHERS' ATTITUDES AND STUDENTS' SELF-ESTEEM.
Creator: CAREY, FORBES BRUCE, Florida Atlantic University, McCleary, Edward J.
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the leadership style of a teacher (based on the teacher's attitudes of students as measured by the Supervisory Attitudes Scale), and the amount of self-esteem of the students (based on the school environment as measured by the Semantic Differential Scale). The study attempted to answer the question, "Does the leadership style of a teacher affect the measure of self-esteem in the students?" The sample for this study consisted of...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the leadership style of a teacher (based on the teacher's attitudes of students as measured by the Supervisory Attitudes Scale), and the amount of self-esteem of the students (based on the school environment as measured by the Semantic Differential Scale). The study attempted to answer the question, "Does the leadership style of a teacher affect the measure of self-esteem in the students?" The sample for this study consisted of two hundred grade six teachers and their six thousand students located in six districts of the Toronto Board of Education, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Teachers' attitude Scale was administered to the two hundred grade six teachers to determine by district the fifteen per cent most authoritarian and the fifteen per cent most non-authoritarian teachers . It was concluded that teachers' leadership attitudes did have a significant effect on students' self-esteem, and that students of teachers with Theory X attitudes had a significantly lower measure of self-esteem than students of teachers with Theory Y attitudes.
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Date Issued: 1976
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11669
Subject Headings: Teacher-student relationships
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: THE EFFECT OF CONGRUENCE BETWEEN LEARNING/TEACHING STYLES ON STUDENT RETENTION AT BROWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE (FLORIDA).
Creator: LIBERMAN, LINDA GRETA., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: This study was designed to determine whether students' grades and retention in a community college are affected by the degree of congruence between their learning styles and their respective teachers' teaching styles. Using two instruments to identify learning style and degree of self-directed learning, 452 students and twenty-two instructors were tested. A multiple regression analysis, F-tests, T-tests, and cross-tabulation tables were the statistical procedures used to determine the...
Show moreThis study was designed to determine whether students' grades and retention in a community college are affected by the degree of congruence between their learning styles and their respective teachers' teaching styles. Using two instruments to identify learning style and degree of self-directed learning, 452 students and twenty-two instructors were tested. A multiple regression analysis, F-tests, T-tests, and cross-tabulation tables were the statistical procedures used to determine the predictive values of the congruence between learning and teaching styles and self-directed learning on retention and grades. The study's findings suggested that an instructor's age and teaching style and a student's degree of self-directed learning have a stronger relationship to academic achievement and retention in class than does congruence between learning and teaching styles, which is also statistically significant. Learning and academic achievement are very complex interactions and are influenced by a variety of factors. Understanding of congruence of learning and teaching styles is a crucial concept in terms of an overall view of student achievement in the academic environment. However, it cannot be used as an isolated factor in predicting a student's academic potential. Rather, it is one of many inter-dependent aspects of learning which includes teaching style, learning style, degree of self-directed learning, instructor age and sex, and type of class taken as well as level of cognitive development. These are the variables that students, instructors, and school adminstrators must understand and take into consideration in building and developing curriculum that encourages students to reach their academic potential. Further research into student learning style flexibility to determine if students adjust learning strategies to teaching styles at odds with their learning style is warranted. Another follow-up study would be to replicate this study with graduates to ascertain which styles are found among graduates and to determine the percentage of style changes between freshmen and graduates.
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Date Issued: 1986
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11890
Subject Headings: Interaction analysis in education, Teacher-student relationships, Memory
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Comparative Look at Student and Faculty Perceptions of Professors at a State College.
Creator: Duff, Suzanne M., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: Research shows that there is a disconnect between student and faculty perceptions in a range of areas. One area that has not been researched is comparing student and faculty perceptions regarding desirable and undesirable traits in professors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify what students perceive are the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect their overall college experience. This study also identified what professors thought...
Show moreResearch shows that there is a disconnect between student and faculty perceptions in a range of areas. One area that has not been researched is comparing student and faculty perceptions regarding desirable and undesirable traits in professors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify what students perceive are the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect their overall college experience. This study also identified what professors thought students perceive as the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect students’ overall college experience. The findings indicate that the largest disparity in perceptions between students and faculty was faculty perception that students rate them based on class rigor and assigned grades, which were two of the least important qualities according to students. The largest similarity that faculty and students agreed upon is that students desire professors who are knowledgeable, passionate, engaging, and able to connect with students. Both groups also perceive that students do not like professors who are boring and monotone. In addition, students and professors agree that students perceive professors as playing an important role in their lives that affect their ability to learn, the grades they receive, and also impact their overall college experience and trajectory in life. The two groups differed when describing how professors’ undesirable qualities can negatively affect students’ emotions and self-confidence. Faculty and students were in agreement in a variety of areas, but they were disconnected in several areas as well. This is a problem as we move into the future. Cox (2009) said, “the traditional college student is no longer the typical college student” (p. 7), especially when it comes to state and community colleges. Professors would benefit from listening to students instead of assuming that their ratings are untrustworthy and based on how hard or easy the class was or what grade they received. The researcher asserts, along with others in the literature, that expertise in content area is no longer good enough to be an effective educator in higher education. Faculty also need to be experts in understanding students.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004967, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004957
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Teacher-student relationships., College teachers., Student evaluation of teachers.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Improving college professors' communication skills inside the classroom: an exploratory study.
Creator: Van Allan, James., Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, School of Communication and Multimedia Studies
Abstract/Description: This thesis examines how college professors can improve their communication skills inside the classroom by testing pedagogical issues identified in previous scholarship against current teaching practices. This thesis addresses four main areas related to classroom communication skills that reflect how to build a classroom into a community of equality, open dialogue, and deep learning. The importance of classroom communities and of professors developing engaging deliveries to create compelling...
Show moreThis thesis examines how college professors can improve their communication skills inside the classroom by testing pedagogical issues identified in previous scholarship against current teaching practices. This thesis addresses four main areas related to classroom communication skills that reflect how to build a classroom into a community of equality, open dialogue, and deep learning. The importance of classroom communities and of professors developing engaging deliveries to create compelling oral performances is described as well as issues of active listening and various models and techniques to help facilitate communication better in the classroom. A qualitative study analyzing written interviews completed by 19 college professors in Florida is conducted. Interview responses are then compared to pedagogical issues identified in previous literature to determine if there are similarities or gaps in current research. The interview determined that an interactive classroom with a professor who is consciously aware of their communication skills can help foster deeper learning with students. This research can help to develop best teaching practices for college professors.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174312
Subject Headings: Oral communication, Interaction analysis in education, Teacher-student relationships.-, Teacher effectiveness
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The development, implementation, and evaluation of a Strategic Prejudice Reduction Framework and its effect on dogmatism levels of college students.
Creator: Allgood, Ilene, Florida Atlantic University, Diaz, Carlos F., Pisapia, John
Abstract/Description: Dogmatism is an uncritical, rigid way of thinking that correlates strongly with prejudice. Prejudice is an attitude, usually unfavorable, toward individuals or groups, arrived at through an uncritical thought process and a disregard of the facts. Dogmatism, because of its connection with prejudice, vitiates students' chances for learning. Dogmatism in teachers creates an inequitable distribution of education to the extent that marginalized minority students are shortchanged educational...
Show moreDogmatism is an uncritical, rigid way of thinking that correlates strongly with prejudice. Prejudice is an attitude, usually unfavorable, toward individuals or groups, arrived at through an uncritical thought process and a disregard of the facts. Dogmatism, because of its connection with prejudice, vitiates students' chances for learning. Dogmatism in teachers creates an inequitable distribution of education to the extent that marginalized minority students are shortchanged educational opportunities. The nature of dogmatism and its impact on education is covered in the literature. Moreover, pedagogical and andragogical strategies which utilize the cognitive and affective domains to heighten critical thinking ability and empathy for others are also addressed in the literature. A Strategic Prejudice-Reduction Framework, the Dogmatism Diminution Model (DDM), was developed, implemented, and evaluated in a university setting. The DDM is not designed to be a discrete course; rather it is meant to be infused within a multicultural education class. The key features of the DDM are its domains, the Cognitive, Reflective, Emotive, and Active through which the course content is relayed. The Cognitive and Emotive domains of the DDM correspond to the cognitive and affective literature, the Reflective domain corresponds to the literature on critical thinking, but the Active domain of the DDM is not associated with the behavioral domain of the literature. Instead it is related to the research on service learning. Three hypotheses were tested. Two dealt with the DDM and the third with a demographic correlate of dogmatism. In order to determine the effectiveness of the DDM, Milton Rokeach's (1960) Dogmatism Scale was administered in a pretest/posttest design. The data were submitted to an ANCOVA and subsequently to a post hoc Scheffe test to determine between which pairs of groups differences in means occurred. ANCOVA was used to compensate for the effect that the pretest might have on the results of the posttest. The comparison of means among the four groups identified a significant reduction in the level of dogmatism at the alpha = .05 level between the DDM group and the Control group as well as one of the other two experimental groups. However, in a paired-score comparison of the treatment group itself, no significance was found with the sample of 31 subjects. This could be attributed to a lack of power in the sample size. Finally, a Pearson Product Moment Correlation of .154 was significant at the 95% confidence level between the variables of dogmatism and degree of religiosity.
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Date Issued: 1998
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12583
Subject Headings: Dogmatism, College students--Attitudes, Multicultural education, Prejudices, Teacher-student relationships
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Exploring pedagogical relationships within a culture of creativity in a Reggio Emilia-inspired school.
Creator: Becraft, Barbara A.T., Burnaford, Gail, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: The current study explores what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes within a school culture of creativity in a Reggio Emilia-inspired school in the Southeastern United States. The questions which frame the study are: 1. How is a culture of creativity fostered within a Reggio Emilia-inspired school? 2. Within a culture of creativity, what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes of curriculum and assessment? The research was designed as...
Show moreThe current study explores what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes within a school culture of creativity in a Reggio Emilia-inspired school in the Southeastern United States. The questions which frame the study are: 1. How is a culture of creativity fostered within a Reggio Emilia-inspired school? 2. Within a culture of creativity, what characterizes the relationship between the pedagogical processes of curriculum and assessment? The research was designed as ethnography and incorporates multiple data sets which provide layers of rich and descriptive information that reveal how to foster a culture of creativity in a school for young children. These data sets were generated by the researcher and the study participants over 18 weeks of ethnographic fieldwork and participant observation. These data sets include class group observations, professional development observations, interviews, focus groups, and audio-photo vignettes of the life of the Reggio Emilia-inspired school which served as the research site for the ethnography. Through ongoing, iterative, and eclectic processes of qualitative data analysis, the researcher identified four emergent themes in the combined data generated during fieldwork. These themes represent the four findings of the study and are presented in the work in terms of answers to research questions, as well as how they support study conclusions, implications, and suggestions for future research in early childhood education. The four thematic findings that emerged in the ethnographic data generated for this study are: The Protagonists, The Daily Life, Research and Analysis, and Languages of Expression.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004006
Subject Headings: Early childhood education -- Philosophy, Education, Preschool -- Philosophy, Group work in education, Reggio Emilia approach (Early childhood education), Teacher student relationships
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Preservice teachers' developing beliefs about diversity as revealed through reflection and discourse.
Creator: Schaub, Cynthia R., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to analyze the development of preservice teachers' beliefs in regard to diversity concepts and issues. The current study finds a positive development in preservice teacher candidates' professional beliefs about diversity as shown through observations, interviews, and document analysis at the beginning and end of upper division coursework in an elementary education degree program that infuses diversity throughout the program. Reflection is at the core of the goals...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to analyze the development of preservice teachers' beliefs in regard to diversity concepts and issues. The current study finds a positive development in preservice teacher candidates' professional beliefs about diversity as shown through observations, interviews, and document analysis at the beginning and end of upper division coursework in an elementary education degree program that infuses diversity throughout the program. Reflection is at the core of the goals of the college of education in which this program resides. Findings from this study revealed that through reflection and discourse, a majority of the senior students did show development in their professional beliefs about diversity concepts and issues. These findings may add to literature on program evaluation in the study of diversity concepts and infusion throughout upper division coursework. This study was limited due to an extremely low response rate and other spurious factors.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362566
Subject Headings: Teachers, Training of, Teachers, Attitudes, Teaching, Sociological aspects, Teacher-student relationships, Multicultural education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Leading the way: the relationships between effective teachers' interactions with their students and their students' interactions with each other in two multi-grade parochial classrooms.
Creator: Stephens, Eudora A., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: The qualitative research study examined the teacher-student and student-student interactions that took place in two elementary parochial classrooms staffed by teachers nominated as effective by their supervisors. The study also examined relationships, similarities and differences between the teacher-student and student-student interactions. Qualitative data were collected including classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and focus group interviews with students. Results indicated...
Show moreThe qualitative research study examined the teacher-student and student-student interactions that took place in two elementary parochial classrooms staffed by teachers nominated as effective by their supervisors. The study also examined relationships, similarities and differences between the teacher-student and student-student interactions. Qualitative data were collected including classroom observations, interviews with teachers, and focus group interviews with students. Results indicated that effective teachers supported their students organizationally through well-organized learning environments ; instructionally by using a variety of instructional scaffolds, strategies and materials while holding students accountable for their learning ; and emotionally by meeting students' needs for belonging and safety. Student-student instructinal and emotional supports reflected most of the elements of teacher-student organizational, instructional and emotional supports but also included some negative interactions not present in teacher-student interactions. Implications for classroom practice, public policy and further research in classroom interactions are given.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3359155
Subject Headings: Classroom environment, Effective teaching, Communication in education, Teacher-student relationships, Interaction analysis in education, Social interaction in children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Effect of Teacher Cognitive and Behavioral Agility on Student Achievement.
Creator: White, Mary K., Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if teachers who use thinking and leading actions have higher student achievement as measured by the teacher’s Value Added Measure (VAM) score. A quantitative non-experimental design investigated the relationships between teacher cognitive and behavioral agility and student achievement. Cognitive agility, measured through the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire for Teachers (STQT ), refers to the leader’s ability to use their repertoire of thinking...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if teachers who use thinking and leading actions have higher student achievement as measured by the teacher’s Value Added Measure (VAM) score. A quantitative non-experimental design investigated the relationships between teacher cognitive and behavioral agility and student achievement. Cognitive agility, measured through the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire for Teachers (STQT ), refers to the leader’s ability to use their repertoire of thinking skills. Behavioral agility, measured with the Strategic Leadership Questionnaire for Teachers (SLQT ), denotes the leader’s ability to use a wide array of leader influencing actions. Teachers were surveyed and the data were analyzed through correlation and multiple regressions to determine the relationship among the variables. Although the cognitive and behavioral agility was not correlated with a teacher’s VAM score, the results indicate that teachers do perceive themselves as leaders in their classrooms. Educational leadership certification, higher degrees, and years experience of a teacher did moderate the relationship between local VAM and both cognitive and behavioral agility. The sub-scales of systems thinking and transforming of the survey instruments also were significant to the results. Theoretically, this study contributes to the teacher leadership literature, focusing on the classroom teacher and their effect on student achievement. Practically, with educational accountability changing the landscape, school districts should train teachers to engage in leadership skills, reward teachers for earning a Master’s degree in leadership, and work to retain high quality teachers who are leaders within their classroom. Greater student achievement could be the result.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004886, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004886
Subject Headings: Teachers--Rating of., Teacher-student relationships., Teacher effectiveness., Master teachers., Effective teaching., Performance standards., Classroom management., Academic achievement--Evaluation.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Teachers as Strategic Classroom Leaders: The Relationship of Their Cognitive and Behavioral Agility to Student Outcomes and Performance Evaluations.
Creator: Warkentien, Michael, Pisapia, John, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this non-experimental study was to determine whether teacher cognitive and behavioral agility relates to student achievement as measured by their value-added model (VAM) score and their performance evaluation measured through the Marzano instructional practice (IP) framework, and whether that relationship is moderated by contextual variables. Cognitive agility, measured through the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire for Teachers (STQ T TM), refers to the leader’s ability to use...
Show moreThe purpose of this non-experimental study was to determine whether teacher cognitive and behavioral agility relates to student achievement as measured by their value-added model (VAM) score and their performance evaluation measured through the Marzano instructional practice (IP) framework, and whether that relationship is moderated by contextual variables. Cognitive agility, measured through the Strategic Thinking Questionnaire for Teachers (STQ T TM), refers to the leader’s ability to use their repertoire of thinking skills. Behavioral agility, measured with the Strategic Leadership Questionnaire for Teachers (SLQ T TM), relates to the leader’s ability to use a wide array of leader influencing actions. Teacher VAM score is the percent of the teacher’s students that met or exceeded a statistically predicted score on the end of year assessment. Teacher IP scores were also collected and were based on classroom walkthroughs, and other factors, conducted by their respective school-based administrator(s). The study included 75 teacher participants at the middle and high school levels and used correlational, linear regression, moderator, and mediation statistical analyses. The research findings indicate that cognitive agility continues to be a significant predictor of behavioral agility and that both cognitive and behavioral agility were significantly related to VAM or IP in teachers over the age of 50. Additionally, VAM scores significantly increased through the use of reframing and IP scores increased when utilizing bridging leader actions. However, it was also found that VAM scores were negatively correlated to the managing leader actions in the total population.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004735, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004735
Subject Headings: Teachers, Rating of., Teacher-student relationships., Teacher effectiveness., Master teachers., Effective teaching., Performance standards., Classroom management., Academic achievement--Evaluation.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Sources of information and selected variables and their relationship to teachers' knowledge and attitudes regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Creator: Blume-D'Ausilio, Carole, Florida Atlantic University, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model for teacher knowledge about ADHD and teacher attitudes toward the disorder. The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge Assessment (ADHDK.A), developed by the researcher, was used to determine the nature of the relationship between teacher knowledge and attitudes regarding ADHD and various sources from which teachers are most likely to obtain information. Four teacher characteristics (teaching position, experience teaching...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to develop a predictive model for teacher knowledge about ADHD and teacher attitudes toward the disorder. The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge Assessment (ADHDK.A), developed by the researcher, was used to determine the nature of the relationship between teacher knowledge and attitudes regarding ADHD and various sources from which teachers are most likely to obtain information. Four teacher characteristics (teaching position, experience teaching children with ADHD, personal experience with ADHD, and confidence teaching children with ADHD) were also investigated for their predictive value. The sample was comprised of 225 classroom teachers of grades K to 5 from seven elementary schools in Broward County, Florida. Teachers completed the ADHDKA which consisted of multiple choice, true and false, and open-ended statements about ADHD. Three research questions were posed before data were collected. Multiple regressions were run to determine the degree of association between each of the criterion variables (knowledge and attitude), and the 12 predictor variables investigated in this study. The degree of correlation between teacher knowledge and teacher attitude was examined using a Pearson product moment correlation. Qualitative analysis was used to uncover emerging themes from teacher responses to the open-ended statements. Major findings in the study were as follows: (a) Primary (K- 2) teachers have a higher level of knowledge about ADHD than do intermediate (3-5) teachers (-.159, p < .05); (b) teachers who have personal experience with ADHD have a higher level of knowledge about ADHD than do teachers with no personal experience with ADHD (.147, p < .05); (c) teachers with a high level of confidence about teaching children with ADHD have a higher level of knowledge about ADHD than do teachers with a low level of confidence (.280,p < .01); and (d) a predictive model can be developed to determine teacher knowledge about ADHD (R^2 = .139). The R-square indicates that 13.9% of the variance in teacher knowledge can be accounted for by the variation of the combined predictor variables. Although statistically significant (F [12, 188] = 2.521,p = .004), the correlation is less than the predetermined critical effect size of 25% and may be of limited practical significance (.139 < .25). Conclusions based on the fmdings from the study were: (a) Teachers do not have adequate information regarding strategies to accommodate behavioral and academic challenges for the child with ADHD; (b) teachers lack confidence teaching children with ADHD; and (c) teachers do not receive adequate district-level, or school-based, administrative support (i.e., availability of appropriate ADHD in-service, assistance with parent support, classroom management issues). Noteworthy recommendations for those in positions of educational leadership included the following: (a) more extensive ADHD training for pre-service teachers than is presently required; (b) a comprehensive choice of ADHD workshops offered by school districts to administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria staff, custodians, bus drivers, and any other school personnel who may interact with children; and (c) a districtlevel expert on ADHD for the specific purpose of advising administrators, teachers, and parents about practical solutions to everyday ADHD-related issues. Recommendations for future research included the following: (a) Investigate why teachers with high levels of knowledge about ADHD have negative attitudes toward the disorder; (b) employ a mixed between - within design assessing teacher knowledge and attitude before and after attendance at an ADHD in-service; and (c) investigate the connection between teaching position and teacher knowledge about ADHD.
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Date Issued: 2005
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12179
Subject Headings: Teacher-student relationships, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Attention-deficit-disordered children--Education, Teachers--Training of, Classroom management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Impact of “Real World” Experiences through Academic Service Learning on Students’ Success Rate, Attitudes, and Motivation in Intermediate Algebra at a Public University.
Creator: Toussaint, Mario J., Furner, Joseph M., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: A report issued in 2012 by the United States Government Accountability Office (US Government Accountability Office, 2012) concluded that the United States is not producing enough graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the demands of its economy. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2001), fewer than fifty percent of students nationally possess a solid command of mathematical content. This study tested whether the insertion of...
Show moreA report issued in 2012 by the United States Government Accountability Office (US Government Accountability Office, 2012) concluded that the United States is not producing enough graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to meet the demands of its economy. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2001), fewer than fifty percent of students nationally possess a solid command of mathematical content. This study tested whether the insertion of Academic Service Learning (ASL) into intermediate algebra courses improved students’ performance, their motivation to learn the subject, and attitudes towards mathematics learning. ASL is an educational strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities (Duffy, Barrington, West, Heredia, & Barry, 2011). The subjects in this study were thirty-four students enrolled in intermediate algebra at a large public university in southeast Florida. The participant group consisted of fifteen students who completed the requirements of the ASL program and the comparison group consisted of nineteen students who initially showed interest in the program but dropped out of the study early in the semester. Through a mixed method analysis, the study found that the proportion of students who passed the course in the ASL group was greater than the proportion of students in the non-ASL group. Similarly, the mean final course grade in the ASL group was higher than the mean final course grade in the non-ASL group. The results of the qualitative analyses showed that all the participants enjoyed the ASL experience. In addition, some participants felt that the ASL project raised their motivation to learn mathematics and increased their competence in mathematics. However, both quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed that the students’ participation in the ASL project did not affect their attitudes towards mathematics learning. The study concluded that Academic Service Learning has the potential to help improve students’ success rates in developmental mathematics courses as well as increase their motivation to learn the subject.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004739, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004739
Subject Headings: Action research in education., Service learning., Universities and colleges--Public services., Teacher-student relationships., Algebra--Study and teaching (Higher), Educational technology--Evaluation., Motivation in education., Academic achievement.
Format: Document (PDF)

Teacher-student relationships (6)	+ -
Teacher-student relationships. (4)	+ -
Interaction analysis in education (3)	+ -
Academic achievement--Evaluation. (2)	+ -
Classroom management. (2)	+ -

Effective teaching. (2)	+ -
Master teachers. (2)	+ -
Multicultural education (2)	+ -
Performance standards. (2)	+ -
Teacher effectiveness. (2)	+ -
Academic achievement. (1)	+ -
Action research in education. (1)	+ -
Algebra--Study and teaching (Higher) (1)	+ -
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (1)	+ -
Attention-deficit-disordered children--Education (1)	+ -
Attitudes (1)	+ -
Classroom environment (1)	+ -
Classroom management (1)	+ -
College students--Attitudes (1)	+ -
College teachers. (1)	+ -
Communication in education (1)	+ -
Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University (1)	+ -
Dogmatism (1)	+ -
Early childhood education -- Philosophy (1)	+ -
Education, Preschool -- Philosophy (1)	+ -
Educational technology--Evaluation. (1)	+ -
Effective teaching (1)	+ -
Group work in education (1)	+ -
Memory (1)	+ -
Motivation in education. (1)	+ -

Florida Atlantic University (8)	+ -
College of Education (7)	+ -
Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry (4)	+ -
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (3)	+ -
Pisapia, John (3)	+ -

Allgood, Ilene (1)	+ -
Becraft, Barbara A.T. (1)	+ -
Blume-D'Ausilio, Carole (1)	+ -
Bryan, Valerie (1)	+ -
Burnaford, Gail (1)	+ -
CAREY, FORBES BRUCE (1)	+ -
Diaz, Carlos F. (1)	+ -
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters (1)	+ -
Duff, Suzanne M. (1)	+ -
Furner, Joseph M. (1)	+ -
LIBERMAN, LINDA GRETA. (1)	+ -
Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia (1)	+ -
McCleary, Edward J. (1)	+ -
Schaub, Cynthia R. (1)	+ -
School of Communication and Multimedia Studies (1)	+ -
Stephens, Eudora A. (1)	+ -
Toussaint, Mario J. (1)	+ -
Van Allan, James. (1)	+ -
Warkentien, Michael (1)	+ -
White, Mary K. (1)	+ -

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