Publication Date

1966

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Nelson, Robert H.||Miller, Elwyn R. (Professor of education)

Degree Name

M.S. Ed. (Master of Education)

Legacy Department

School of Education

LCSH

Glen Ellyn Junior High School (Glen Ellyn; Ill.); Electronics--Study and teaching

Abstract

Problem. Over the years tha teaching of electricity-electronics in the public schools has traditionally been within the realm of the high school physics department. While some of the practical applications of electricity are taught in the industrial arts classes of both high school and junior high school, electronics as a unit of study is virtually non-existent in junior high school science curricula across the country. This paper is an attempt to determine the feasibility of teaching a unit based on specific basic concepts of electronics as a part of the eighth grade general science curriculum. An analysis is made of the achievement and attitudes of the students in three regular science classes and one honors class to determine whether the unit will be suitable for future use by both groups. Procedure. The material for this unit was gathered from basic references on electronics, junior high school science textbooks published since 1963, industrial arts journals, and books on related topics. Growth in achievement of knowledge of electronics between the two groups was measured by means of s pretest and post-test. A survey of student attitudes toward electronics utilizing a Likert scale was developed and administered. Findings and conclusions. The results of this study clearly indicated that the unit as it was taught is more suited for honors classes. A comparison of the pretest and post-test standard deviations of each group showed the honors class to be far superior in their gains as a result of the learning. A critical ratio of the pretest and post-test standard deviations for both groups further supported the fact that the honors class was better able to learn the material presented in the unit on electronics. Results of the attitude survey indicated both groups showed a positive attitude toward the unit as it was taught. A rank order correlation of the individual choices of both groups indicated the groups did not think alike in their responses to the individual items. The results of this study indicated a unit on electronics should be restricted to honors classes at the junior high school level. The honors students were more able to think abstractly and to perform the problem solving and mathematical aspects required of the unit.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references.

Extent

iv, 61 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

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