HOW THE 4 X 4 BLOCK SCHEDULE HAS EFFECTED …

HOW THE 4 X 4 BLOCK SCHEDULE HAS EFFECTED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

A study based on Technology Education Teachers teaching within the block schedule in the State of Wisconsin

by Charles G. Carr

A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Master of Science Degree

With a Major in

Technology Education

Approved: 2 Semester Credits

_________________________ Investigation Advisor

The Graduate College University of Wisconsin-Stout

June, 1999

The Graduate Office University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, Wisconsin 54751

ABSTRACT

Carr

Charles

G.

____________________________________________________________

(last name)

(first)

(initial)

(Title) How the 4 X 4 Block Schedule has Effected Technology Education: A Study based on Technology Education Teachers in the State of Wisconsin.

Technology Education Dr. Leonard Sterry

July 1999

90

_____________________________________________________________

(Graduate Major)

(Research Advisor) (Month/Year)

(No. of Pages)

American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual (Name of Style Manual Used in this Study)

Restructuring the school day from the traditional seven and eight periods a day to the four period day has become common practice to many school districts throughout the State of Wisconsin and the United States. Within the school schedule there is much power: the power to address problems, the power to implement effective instructional practices, the power to improve the lives of students. Administrators and educators are continuously working toward a common goal to improve the quality of our students education. The block schedule has caused educators to reflect on curriculum and methods of instruction and implement changes to improve the quality of education.

This study will investigate the perceptions of Technology Education Teachers currently teaching within the 4 X 4 block schedule. Specific regard will be given to positive and negative impacts of block scheduling within technology education, commonly used teaching strategies of technology education teachers within the block schedule, and common stress levels of technology education teachers teaching within the block schedule. The positive and negative impacts of block scheduling will be further broken down to give specific regard to classroom climate, teaching practices, instructional content, absenteeism, and students within the block schedule.

A 36-item questionnaire has been developed to be sent out to technology education teachers in the State of Wisconsin that are currently teaching within a 4 X 4 block schedule. A list of schools in the State of Wisconsin that are currently operating under the block scheduling system was obtained from Mr. Chuck Misky from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The first three items of the questionnaire will serve to gather data on which basic model of block scheduling that the teacher is currently teaching in and also data on previous teaching experiences in other models of scheduling. The last 33 items will be statements for which respondents will be asked to register opinions. The opinions will be ranked on a five-point Likert scales with the options for positive and negative impacts of block scheduling being: strongly agree, agree, no opinion, disagree, and strongly disagree. The opinions for commonly used teaching strategies of technology education teachers teaching within the block schedule will be: much more, more, about the same, less, and much less. The opinions for common stress levels of technology education teachers teaching within the block schedule will be: much more stressful, more stressful, about the same, less stressful, and much less stressful. The findings of the study will be recorded in chapters four and five.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My favorite quote is "Success is in the Journey and not the Destination." Throughout the journey of writing this masters plan B paper I have realized that my success can be credited to my family. Without their patience and support throughout this journey I would have never achieved the destination. It is with great pleasure that I dedicate this paper to my wife Susie and my two sons Spencer and Scott.

Chuck Carr Graduate Student:

Technology Education

This study will focus on the following objectives:

1. To determine the positive impacts within high school Technology Education programs in the State of Wisconsin that have taken place because of the implementation of block scheduling.

2. To determine the negative impacts within high school Technology Education

programs in the State of Wisconsin that have taken place because of the

`

implementation of block scheduling.

3. To determine commonly used teaching strategies used by Technology Education Teachers teaching within the block schedule in the State of Wisconsin.

4. To determine common occupational stress levels identified by Technology Education Teachers because of the implementation of the block

schedule.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download