Publication Date

1966

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Nelson, Robert H.||Brode, Leland

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Education

LCSH

United States. National Defense Education Act of 1958; Scientific apparatus and instruments

Abstract

Problem: The purpose of this study was to take one facet of the National Defense Education Act, Title III expenditures for junior high school science equipment, and determine the extent to which it has been misappropriated in Cook (excluding Chicago), DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties. Procedure: A questionnaire was mailed to one hundred and seventy-five schools. Seventy-three per cent of these were returned. The questionnaire was designed to collect information from three levels of educators, namely, administrators, tenure science teachers, and new science teachers. This three part questionnaire increased the chances of determining utilization of Title III equipment and provided a three dimensional analysis of reasons for utilization in a given school district. The results were tabulated and correlations were made. Findings: The major findings of this study were: 1. Of the one-hundred and twenty-eight schools returning questionnaires, forty-five per cent did not fully utilize their Title III equipment. 2. There was a negative correlation of district size to utilization, as the size of the district increased the utilization of Title III equipment decreased. 3. Administrators reported Inability of science teachers to operate Title III equipment as a major reason for nonutilization. 4. Tenure science teachers reported that Title III equipment was not utilized because it did not fit into existing lesson plans. 5. New science teachers reported that Title III equipment was not utilized because it was too advanced for the junior high school age group. 6. The most successful criterion for selecting Title III equipment was Standards and Specifications for Equipment Materials and Minor Remodeling For Science published by the State of Illinois. 7. Science workshops did the best job of preparing science teachers for utilizing Title III equipment. Conclusions: The low per cent of utilization (55 per cent) indicates that Title III expenditures have been misappropriated. The small school districts with an enrollment of five hundred or less had the highest per cent of utilization although they accounted for only fourteen per cent of the schools participating in Title III. The larger school districts reporting nonutilization of Title III equipment gave the absence of trained science teachers and the lack of classroom space as the reasons for not incorporating the new equipment into their curricula.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

ix, 71 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Download

Share

COinS