Counseling, Higher Education & Special Education Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2757
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Item Measures of Writing Skills as Predictors of High Stakes Assessments for Secondary Students(2008-01-24) Jones, Karen Anne; Rosenfield, Sylvia; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the potential utility of written expression scoring measures, developed in the curriculum-based measurement research, to monitor student progress and predict performance on a high stakes state mandated assessment for high school students. In response to a teacher generated prompt, 10th-grade students completed 3 brief constructed response (BCR) and 2 extended constructed response (ECR) writing samples throughout the academic year. Writing samples were scored for total words written (TWW), words spelled correctly (WSC), correct writing sequences (CWS), correct minus incorrect writing sequences (CMIWS), percentage of words spelled correctly (%WSC), percentage of correct writing sequences (%CWS), production dependent index, and production independent index. The average time to score a BCR for TWW, WSC, CWS, and CMIWS was over 7 minutes, and the average time to score an ECR was over 16 minutes. Alternate form reliability correlation coefficients between scoring measures were only in the weak to moderate range. Results revealed that girls wrote more words, spelled more words correctly, produced more correct writing sequences, and produced more correct minus incorrect writing sequences. Across writing samples, statistically significant but small increases were found on scoring measures. Results of multiple regression and logistic regression analyses failed to provide a model that accurately predicted student outcomes.Item THE EFFECTS OF A CONTEXTUALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL PACKAGE ON THE AREA AND PERIMETER PERFORMANCE OF SECONDARY STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES(2007-07-30) Mulcahy, Candace A; Leone, Peter E; Maccini, Paula; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The current study examined the effects of an instructional package on the mathematics performance of secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) when applied to grade-appropriate area and perimeter objectives. The instructional package included the following empirically-supported approaches: (a) contextualized instruction; (b) use of manipulatives; (c) use of a cue card; and (d) self-monitoring techniques for behavior and academic performance. The intervention also incorporated pre-requisite skills and was delivered through a set of scripted lessons that employed explicit instruction balanced with constructivist-based activities. The multiple-probe design was implemented across two participants, then replicated across two more participants (Tawney & Gast, 1984). The participants were four middle school students with EBD in a suburban Maryland public school. Results of the study demonstrated that participants were able to improve mathematics accuracy on area and perimeter objectives. Three participants were also, to a limited extent, able to maintain performance over time and transfer performance to more complex mathematics tasks. Two participants were able to transfer performance to tasks of similar context to those practiced in the intervention. The study suggests that, when provided explicit and sustained instruction on pre-requisite math objectives and grade-appropriate mathematics objectives, students with EBD may be successful with non-computational mathematics.