A comparison of students enrolled in academic and general programs on attitude toward school, attitude toward self, participation in extra-curricular activities and ratings of students by teachers

• Main Author: Coish, E. Calvin
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1973
• Subjects: Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/7554/; https://research.library.mun.ca/7554/1/Coish_EricCalvin.pdf; https://research.library.mun.ca/7554/3/Coish_EricCalvin.pdf

Curricular differentiation as practiced in Newfoundland high schools raises certain questions as to the relative adjustment to various aspects of school life of students in the Academic (Matriculation) group as compared with students in the General (Non-Matriculation) group. The two curricular streams were compared with respect to attitude toward school, attitude toward self, participation in extra-curricular activities, and teacher ratings of student social behavior. -- A review of related literature showed a scarcity of research concerning streaming, particularly in Newfoundland. The available research produced conflicting results concerning the correlates of streaming, thus further questioning the efficacy and necessity of the tracking procedure. -- This post-facto study included Grade 11 students in three Newfoundland rural high schools. Fifty-four students enrolled in the Non-Matriculation program and 125 doing the Matriculation course took part in the study. Data were gathered by means of a semantic differential dealing with attitude toward school and attitude toward self, a questionnaire concerning student participation in extra-curricular activities, and a rating scale on which teachers evaluated student social activity. -- The data obtained were analyzed by a computer program which provided the means, medians, standard deviations and analysis of variance for the Academic group and the General group, males and females, and, in the case of participation in extra-curricular activities, students from the community in which their school was located and students transported into the town. In addition, correlations among different variables for each curricular group, significance of differences between correlations for the two groups, and correlations among three social ratings of students by teachers were calculated. -- Analysis of the data revealed that the Academic group received significantly higher mean teacher ratings and took part in significantly more non-sports activities than did the General group. ...