THE NATIONAL STUDENT RESEARCH CENTER
(NOTE: This file contains research data which demonstrates the
efficacy of the Student Research Center approach to instruction
as implemented at Mandeville Middle School's Student Research
Center.)
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Efficacy Research: Achievement
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TABLE OF CONTENT
I. Accountability For Educational Outcomes
II. Program Outcomes: Research Projects Completed
III. Program Outcomes: Science & Social Studies Achievement
IV. Program Outcomes: Language Arts Achievement
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I. Accountability for Educational Outcomes:
The National Student Research Center continually monitors and
documents the efficacy of the Student Research Center approach
to instruction through action research in the classroom. The
Student Research Center approach to instruction has been
demonstrated to: 1) significantly increase the number of
scientific research projects completed during the school year,
2) significantly increase science and social studies
achievement, 3) significantly increase overall cognitive
abilities, and 4) significantly increase language arts
achievement.
The following research data gathered over the last seven years
demonstrates the efficacy of the Student Research Center
approach to instruction as implemented at Mandeville Middle
School's Student Research Center.
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II. NSRC Program Outcomes: Research Projects Completed
Over the last seven years, the Mandeville Middle School Student
Research Center has been associated with a significant increase
in the number of scientific research projects completed by
students of various learning abilities. During the 1986-87
school year prior to the establishment of the Student Research
Center, a total of 42 research projects were completed. At the
end of the 1993-94 school year, a total of 1,131 research
projects were completed by our students.
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Mandeville Middle School
Number of Scientific Research Projects
Completed in All Subject Areas
School Research Projects Student
Year Completed Population
1986-1987 42 (N= 600)
1987-1988 358 (N=1,000)
1988-1989 618 (N=1,000)
1989-1990 588 (N=1,100)
1990-1991 976 (N=1,200)
1991-1992 1,086 (N=1,400)
1992-1993 1,296 (N=1,500)
1993-1994 1,131 (N=1,700)
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III. NSRC Program Outcomes: Science and Social Studies
Achievement Scores
The progressive dissemination of the Student Research Center
approach to instruction throughout Mandeville Middle has also
been associated with significant gains in academic achievement
in Science and Social Studies as measured by the California
Achievement Test. A three-year longitudinal study of Mean
Normal Curve Equivalents (MNCE), and Mean Standard Scores (MSS)
for three different classes demonstrates the gains. Each class
was composed of students with a diversity of learning
abilities.
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Mandeville Middle School
A Three-Year Longitudinal Study
California Achievement Test Scores
Three Year Tracking of Selected CAT Scores for 1987 Class
Science Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
(1987-1988) (1988-1989) (1989-1990) Change
MNCE 61.0 55.4 64.7 + 3.7
MSS 668.3 678.6 724.1 +55.8
Social Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
Studies (1987-1988) (1988-1989) (1989-1990) Change
MNCE 58.1 59.1 61.5 + 3.4
MSS 680.8 698.6 720.0 +39.2
Three Year Tracking of Selected CAT Scores for 1988 Class:
Science Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
(1988-1989) (1989-1990) (1990-1991) Change
MNCE 60.5 60.2 65.8 + 5.3
MSS 665.9 691.1 726.8 +60.9
Social Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
Studies (1988-1989) (1989-1990) (1990-1991) Change
MNCE 59.9 62.9 63.2 + 3.3
MSS 685.0 704.5 722.5 +37.5
Three Year Tracking of Selected CAT Scores for 1989 Class:
Science Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
(1989-1990) (1990-1991) (1991-1992) Change
MNCE 60.9 60.8 66.0 + 5.1
MSS 668.1 693.8 727.1 +59.0
Social Grade Four Grade Five Grade Six Total
Studies (1989-1990) (1990-1991) (1991-1992) Change
MNCE 59.8 62.0 63.2 + 3.4
MSS 684.9 703.9 723.5 +38.6
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IV. NSRC Program Outcomes: Language Arts Achievement
Impact Of The Student Research Center Approach To Instruction
Upon Language Arts Skills Achievement
by John I. Swang, Ph.D.
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A. Brief Abstract:
*
The Treatment Group of sixth grade gifted students receiving
the Student Research Center approach to instruction emphasizing
the research and publication process demonstrated significantly
larger (P=.04) increases in overall language arts skills
achievement than the Control Group of sixth grade gifted
students. Achievement was most pronounced in language
mechanics such as punctuating sentences, phrases, and clauses;
using standard writing conventions; and editing skills, and in
language expression such as recognizing standard grammatical
usage; recognizing sentence parts and correct sentences; and
identifying topic sentences and story structure in paragraphs.
*
It should be stressed that the Student Research Center
approach to instruction is used effectively with students
of all learning abilities and at all grade levels. The vast
majority of students studying under the instructional approach
are in the regular classroom in grades 1 through 12.
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B. Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of this research conducted during the 1993-1994
school year was to determine the effect of active student
involvement in the Student Research Center approach to
instruction upon language arts skills achievement.
The Student Research Center approach to instruction emphasizes
the scientific research and publication process in which
students initiate and conduct research projects, utilizing one
of the scientific methods, in all subject areas of the
curriculum throughout the school year.
Students must express each step of the scientific method in
written form. Each writing must be edited and rewritten until
grammatically correct and letter perfect before acceptance for
eventual publication in a journal of student research. Thus,
in every subject area, language arts and writing skills are
taught as an integral part of the research and publication
process.
Consequently, students spend a significant amounts of time in
every subject area learning and using language arts skills.
All students are capable of writing and publishing at least one
research project in each subject area every semester. Many
high achieving students are capable of publishing more.
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C. Hypothesis:
It was hypothesized that gifted students who master the
scientific methods and actively participate in the research and
publication process throughout the school year will have
significantly larger increases in overall language arts skills
achievement than gifted students who do not.
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D. Methodology:
The methodology for testing the above hypothesis compared 26
sixth grade gifted students who participated in the Student
Research Center program at Mandeville Middle School (Treatment
Group) with a similar group of 34 gifted students in comparable
classrooms at Mandeville Middle School who did not participate
in the instructional approach (Control Group).
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E. Measurement:
The California Achievement Tests, published by CTB Macmillan/
McGraw-Hill, was used to measure language arts achievement.
The California Achievement Test was administered to the
students in the study at the end of the fifth grade (1992-1993
school year) and again at the end of the sixth grade (1993-1994
school year). Language mechanics such as punctuating
sentences, phrases, and clauses; using standard writing
conventions; and editing skills were measured. Language
expression such as recognizing standard grammatical usage;
recognizing sentence parts and correct sentences; and
identifying topic sentences and story structure in paragraphs
was also measured.
Scale Scores on the Language Arts Subtest from the total
battery were utilized in the study. The scale score is a
continuous developmental score that is represented by units of
equal size throughout the scale. It is useful to educators
because student growth in skills achievement can be documented.
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F. Sampling and Statistical Analysis:
Sixty students in the gifted program at Mandeville Middle
School were randomly placed into one of five sixth grade gifted
classrooms at the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year. Two
of the classrooms, the Treatment Classrooms, utilized the
Student Research Center approach to instruction. These
classrooms each contained 13 students for a total N of 26. The
three Control Classrooms contained 11, 11, and 12 students for
a total N of 34.
The T-Test for independent samples was performed on 1992-1993
CAT Scale Scores for the Language Arts Subtest. The 1992-1993
Language Arts Scale Scores for the Control and Treatment groups
were statistically compared to ensure that there was not a
significant difference between the two groups' achievement
prior to beginning the sixth grade and this study.
In addition, an analysis of covariance was performed on the
1992-1993 and 1993-1994 CAT Language Arts Scale Scores for both
groups. This statistical procedure equated the groups on their
language arts achievement scores so that any differences found
after the study could be interpreted as a result of the
instructional approach rather than any original difference in
language arts achievement which might have appeared when
composing the control and treatment groups (Elzey, 1985).
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G. Student Study Populations:
All students are in the gifted program utilizing a curriculum
that is standardized by state and district requirements. All
teachers are certified in gifted education and possess an M.Ed.
in education.
All gifted students in the study attended classrooms with
similar populations, the majority of whom can be characterized
as non-minority from the middle SES classes (See: Table 1).
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Table 1
Student Test Populations
Treatment Control
(N=26) (N=34)
Boy 14 54% 18 53%
Girl 12 46% 16 47%
Minority 0 0% 0 0%
Middle SES 26 100% 34 100%
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The Treatment Group of gifted students participated in
Mandeville Middle School's National Student Research Center
program and received the Student Research Center approach to
instruction. These students were actively involved in the
student research and publication process in all subject areas
of the curriculum and throughout the school year. These
students conducted, wrote, and published an average of 6.62
scientific research projects during the year in all subject
areas of the curriculum. The Control Group of gifted students
did not experience the Student Research Center approach to
instruction. If a student in this group conducted scientific
research during the school year, it was in the science area of
the curriculum for the local Science Fair program. On average,
these students conducted less than one research project during
the year (See: Tables 2-3).
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Table 2
Number of Scientific Research Projects Completed
by
Treatment and Control Groups
Projects @ Year Students Total Mean
Control
0 21 0
1 13 13
34 13 X = .38
Treatment
4 4 16
6 12 72
8 8 64
10 2 20
26 172 X = 6.62
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Table 3
Number of Scientific Research Projects Completed
In Subject Areas
by
Treatment and Control Groups
Language Math Science Social Total
Arts Studies
Control 0 0 13 0 13
Treatment 50 38 52 32 172
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H. Analysis of Data:
T-Test for Independent Samples
The Treatment Group had a slightly higher mean scale score in
language arts than the Control Group at the end of the 1992-
1993 school year. This mean difference of 2.38 was not
statistically significant. This indicates that the two groups
in the study began the 1993-1994 school year with equivalent
achievement scores in language arts (See: Table 4).
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Table 4
Comparison of 1992-1993 Language Arts
Treatment and Control Mean Scale Scores
T-Test for Independent Samples
Treatment Control Mean T P
Mean Mean Diff. Value
Language Arts 765.12 762.74 2.38 .431 .692
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Analysis of Covariance
There was a statistically significant differences between the
adjusted 1993-1994 mean scores of the Control and Treatment
Groups on the Language Arts Subtest (P=.04). The Treatment
Group's growth in the language arts skills achievement was
significantly greater than that of the Control Group (See:
Table 5).
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Table 5
California Achievement Tests
Language Arts Subtest
Analysis of Covariance: Scale Scores
Sum of df Mean F P
Squares Square
Between Treatments 2892.239 1 2892.239 4.107 .045
Error 40137.375 57 704.164
Total 43029.615 58
Mean of Mean of Adjusted Mean
('92-'93) ('93-'94) ('93-'94)
Control 762.735 789.118 789.770
Treatment 765.115 804.654 803.801
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I. Summary and Conclusion:
The 1992-1993 mean scale scores on the CAT Language Arts
Subtest were similar for the Control and Treatment Groups at
the beginning of the study. By the end of the study, there was
a statistically significant difference (P=.04) between the
1993-1994 mean scale scores on the CAT Language Arts subtest
for the Control and Treatment Groups. This indicates that the
curriculum wide and year long emphasis placed upon writing in
the research and publication process of the Student Research
Center approach to instruction has a positive impact upon
language arts skills achievement. Therefore, the hypothesis of
this study was accepted.
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J. Application:
The Student Research Center approach to instruction emphasizing
the scientific research and publication process is an
especially effective pedagogy for teaching language arts
skills. Teachers are encouraged to utilized this instructional
approach across the curriculum and provide their students with
authentic, multi-disciplinary, and whole language opportunities
to learn language arts skills.
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John I. Swang, Ph.D.
Teacher/Director
National Student Research Center
606 Lafitte Soult St.
Mandeville, Louisiana 70448
U.S.A.
jswang@charter.net
This e-publication is made possible through grants provided by
the United States Department of Education, South Central Bell
Telephone, American Petroleum Institute, Intertel Foundation,
Springhouse Publishing Corporation, Graham Resources, Inc.,
Central Louisiana Electric Company, Louisiana State Department
of Education, National Science Foundation, Mandeville Middle
School Parent Teacher Association, Northern Life Insurance
Company, Gustav Ohaus Company, and Chevron Oil Company.
The National Student Research Center thanks these organizations
for their generous support of education.
© 2008 John I. Swang, Ph.D.