Date of Award

8-1985

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Howard E. Farris

Second Advisor

Dr. Richard Malott

Third Advisor

Dr. Galen Alessi

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Individualized education has been described as the ideal teaching methodology. The purpose of the present study was to individualize teaching procedure through the use of behavioral contracts in a high school guided study class. The goal of the teacher-directed, small group instruction was to teach students the components of a specific contract task. Following this instruction, all students' contracts improved in the percent meeting content criteria. In addition to improvement in contract content, student on-task behavior also increased. Further, the number of student assignments completed on contract which were received by teachers increased after training. It appears that the use of teacher- directed, small group instruction in the context of a large study class was effective in producing improved contracts, on-task behavior, and increased assignments turned in to classroom teachers. It was recommended that the investigation of additional variables be accomplished.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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