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Skill performance comparability of two algebra programs on an eighth-grade population
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two algebra programs on the achievement level of 36 selected math talented eighth grade students at Waverly Junior High. An achievement performance comparability of the Saxon Algebra program and National Council of the Teachers of Mathematics Algebra program was conducted. The study measured the relationships of three independent variables: learner satisfaction, math aptitude and group placement on the dependent variable, the student's final achievement level. A pre-post test model was used to measure students achievement growth. Three instruments were used to test the hypothesis. The Orleans-Hanna Prognostic Test was the pre-post test instrument used to measure student growth in achievement. Four unit tests were designed to descriptively measure student performance on each of the twelve identified components in the algebra course. A learner satisfaction instrument measured the student's comfort level with their mathematics experience. A Mann-Whitney U and an independent T-test determined that both studied groups were comparable and no significant differences were evident. The findings of this study showed a significant gain in final achievement levels for all participants. The independent variable, learner satisfaction, had the strongest relationship with the student's final achievement level. Group placement was shown to have no effect on student achievement or learner satisfaction. A student's prior math aptitude could possibly have a significant relationship with achievement. A criterion score average, calculated for each of the twelve components, revealed that students in the NCTM program scored higher on 7 of the 12 components. Students appeared to perform better on tests emphasizing computational skills. Saxon's lesson format should have favored this approach but the NCTM participants had a consistently higher mean score on unit tests. Though all students had a higher academic achievement level, relative to pre-testing, the NCTM Algebra program showed more achievement gain and was thereby recommended for adoption by the local district.
Subject Area
Curricula|Teaching|Mathematics education|Secondary education
Recommended Citation
Peters, Kevin George, "Skill performance comparability of two algebra programs on an eighth-grade population" (1992). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9314428.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9314428