Effects of interactive (TIPS) homework on family involvement and science achievement of middle grade students

148 Pages·2000·3.4 MB·English

by  Van Voorhis, Frances Landis

THEEFFECTSOFINTERACTIVE(TIPS)HOMEWORKON
FAMILYINVOLVEMENTANDSCIENCEACHIEVEMENT
OFMIDDLEGRADESTUDENTS
FRANCESLANDISVANVOORHIS
ADISSERTATIONPRESENTEDTOTHEGRADUATESCHOOL
OFTHEUNrVERSITYOFFLORIDAINPARTIALFULFILLMENT
OFTHEREQUIREMENTSFORTHEDEGREEOF
DOCTOROFPHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITYOFFLORIDA
2000
ForKerry,Carolyn,&Ken
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Adissertationisnevertheresultofoneperson'sefforts.Ihavebenefitedfromthe
supportofmanyintelligentandpatientpeoplethroughoutthistwo-yearprocess.Ithank
eachofthemforhelpingmetocompleteastudyofwhichIamveryproud.
FirstIthankmyfamily.MyhusbandKerryenduredmanylateevening
conversationsaboutmyhomeworkstudy,mygraduatework,andmycareer.Ithankhim
forhispatience,constructivecriticism,encouragement,andreadingofmywork.His
gentlemannerincommunicatingisoneofthetraitsImostloveandrespect.
Onecandoamazingthingswiththesupportofparentsandsiblings.Mymotherand
fatheralwayscommunicatetometheirfaithinmyabilitytosucceed.WhenIwas
growingup,theyneverlaughedwhenIproposedabigplanformylife(Ihaveprobably
proposedabout500orso).Theirbeliefinmeinspiresmetogivethatsame
encouragementtoothers!Ithankbothofthemfortheirinvolvementinmylifeandmy
schooling.Whethertheyknowitornot,Iamstrongerandmoreconfidentbecauseofthe
timetheytooktoshowmeIwasimportant.Ihopetogivemyownchildrenthesame
feelingofloveandsupportthatmyparentsgaveme.
Mysisters,JohannaandGwynethLandis,arealwaysquicktosayakindwordtome
andtoletmeknowhowproudtheyareofmyefforts.Theyeachhavesomanytalents
andgiftsthatIknowtheyareputtingtogreatuse!Ilovethembothandthankthemfor
remindingmethatthereismoretomylifethanmystudies.
IamsoproudandthankfultohavehadDr.ScottMillerasmyadvisorandfriend
throughthedissertationphaseofmygraduatework.Whetherheknowsitornot,his
genuineeagernesstoworkwithmetwoyearsagopreventedmefromquittinggraduate
school.Hisroleinthisprocesshaskeptmemovingforward,andIappreciatetheweekly
encouragementhegavemeduringourphoneconversations,thequicknesswithwhichhe
readdraftsandgavemefeedback(usuallywithinadayortwo),andtheflexibilityhe
displayedinworkingwithmefromafaronatopicthatwasnothisspecialty.Irespect
hisabilitytobalancehismanyrolesasteacher,researcher,mentor,colleague,father,and
friend.Hiscareformeasapersonandnotjustasastudenthasmadeallthedifferencein
mygraduatestudies.
MycompleteadmirationandthanksalsogotoDr.JoyceEpstein,theguruofschool,
family,andcommunitypartnerships.Itissuchapleasuretoworkforsomeonewho
appliesherresearchtopracticeandwhotreatsteachersandadministratorswiththe
respecttheydeserve.WordscannotexpresshowmuchIappreciatethetimeshespent
teachingmeaboutresearch,practice,patience,andhardwork.Sheconstantlytaughtme
thingswhensheprobablydidnotevenrealizeit!Ithankherforthemanyopportunities
shegavemetofurthermyresearchandcareer,andIlookforwardtomanyfuturefruitful
endeavorstogether.
Thisstudywouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthesupportofthescienceteachers
andprincipalatPikesvilleMiddleSchool.IthankBarbaraWalker,theprincipal,forher
willingnesstosupportthisstudy.IthankherforlisteningtoKerryexplainmyresearch
whenwefirstmovedtoBaltimore,andforextendingherhandtometohelpmeearnthis
degree.
Icannever,atleastinthislifetimealone,thankChrisMcChesney,Natalie
Dewberry-Moore,LeahBlind.ChrisMcGuiness,andJulieHornungenoughfortheir
dedicationtolearninghowtoinvolvefamiliesinhomework.Eachofthemtaughtme
aboutthesacrificestheyoftenmaketodothemostimportantjobintheworld,teaching.
Irespecttheircommitmenttothisresearchandtotheirstudents.
NobodyknowsthetroubleI'veseen-unlessitanothergraduatestudent.Many
fellowgraduatestudentsorrecentgraduatesattheUniversityofFloridaandJohns
HopkinsUniversityhavesharedtheirstrugglesandcelebratedtheirsuccesseswithme.
BethSimonand1workedthroughthisprocesstogether,sharedknowledge,and
encouragedeachotheralongtheway.Sheprovidesconstantsupportandinspiration,and
Ilookforwardtocontinuedlearningfromandwithherasacolleague.
IthankDr.ElizabethKemperformeetingwithmeeachweekforlunchtodiscuss
myprogress.ThisweeklymeetinginspiredmetoaccomplishmentsothatIwouldnotbe
embarrassedinfrontofsomeoneIdeeplyrespectasaresearcherandphenomenal
woman.IalsothankLaurelClark,Dr.StevenSheldon,JoannBenigno,CynthiaKoenig
andNicoleAleaforallofthesuggestions,encouragement,andfuntimesshared.
Finally,IthankDr.JeffFarrar,Dr.PatAshton,Dr.PatMiller,andDr.Carolyn
Tuckerfortheirfeedbackonmyqualifyingexam,ontheproposalphaseofmywork,and
onmyfinaldissertation.Irespecttheirabilitiestobalancethedemandsofresearchand
teachingatsuchapremierinstitutionastheUniversityofFlorida.
1
TABLEOFCONTENTS
page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii
ABSTRACT ix
CHAPTERS
1INTRODUCTION 1
TheoreticalBackground 3
FocusoftheLiteratureReview 6
ParentalInvolvement 7
Developmentaldifferencesinparentalinvolvementlevels 8
Factorsaffectingtheinvolvementdecision 9
HomFeawctoorrksaffectingparents'choiceofinvolvement 112
Developmentaldifferences 14
Parentalinvolvementinhomework 16
Negativefindings 17
Positivefindings 19
TeachersInvolveParentsinSchoolwork(TIPS)interactivehomework 21
TIPSwriting 22
TIPSmath 23
ThePresentStudy 25
2METHODS 29
Sample 29
Design 29
Materials 31
Interactive(TIPS)Assignments 32
Non-Interactive(ATIPS)Assignments 33
TIPS/ATIPSTestQuestions 33
Student/FamilySurveys 33
Procedure 34
LettertoFamilies 34
ScienceAssignments 34
ScienceAssessments 35
Surveys 36
Measures 36
BackgroundMeasures 36
HomeworkCompletionMeasures 36
SurveyMeasures 37
Familyinvolvement 38
Familybackground 38
Timeonhomework 38
OpinionsoftheTIPS/ATIPShomeworkassignments 39
Generalinterestinscience 39
ScienceAchievementMeasures 41
ResearchQuestions,Hypotheses,andAnalyses 41
FamilyInvolvement 41
HomeworkAssignments 42
ScienceAchievement 43
ConcordanceinParentandChildSurveys 43
3RESULTS 45
DescriptiveStatistics 45
FamilyInvolvementResearchQuestions 45
HomeworkCompletionandAccuracy 52
ScienceAchievement 60
ConcordanceandDiscrepancyinParentandStudentReports 64
4DISCUSSION 77
MajorFindings 77
TIPSIncreasedFamilyInvolvementinScienceHomework 77
FamilyInvolvementRelatestoHomeworkCompletion 79
TIPSStudentsEarnedHigherReportCardGradesthanATIPSStudents 80
ResultsOftenDifferedDevelopmentallyandbyGender 82
ParentandStudentCategoriesProvideNewInsightsintoAchievementResults 83
Limitations 83
LengthoftheStudy 84
NeedforStandardizedAchievementScores 84
LackofTeacherImplementationMeasures 85
LackofMeasuresfortheQualityofHomeworkInteraction 86
LackofHomeworkAdaptationbyClassAbilityGrouping 87
TheFutureofHomework 88
APPENDICES
A HOMEWORKASSIGNMENTORDERBYTEACHER 91
B SAMPLETIPSACTIVITY 92
C SAMPLEATIPSACTIVITY 94
D TIPS/ATIPSTESTQUESTIONS 96
E STUDENTANDPARENTSURVEYS 107
F LETTERSTOPARENTS 116
G DESCRIPTIVEDATAFORALLSTUDYVARIABLES 118
REFERENCES 127
BIOGRAPHICALSKETCH 135
AbstractofDissertationPresentedtotheGraduateSchool
oftheUniversityofFloridainPartialFulfillmentofthe
RequirementsfortheDegreeofDoctorofPhilosophy
THEEFFECTSOFINTERACTIVE(TIPS)HOMEWORKONFAMILY
INVOLVEMENTANDSCIENCEACHIEVEMENTOFMIDDLEGRADE
STUDENTS
By
FrancesLandisVanVoorhis
December,2000
Chairman:ScottA.Miller
MajorDepartment:Psychology
Thepurposeofthestudywastoinvestigatetheeffectsofinteractiveandnon-
interactivesciencehomeworkassignmentsonfamilyinvolvementinhomework,
homeworkcompletionandaccuracy,studentscienceachievement,andstudentandparent
attitudesaboutscience.Mostpreviousresearchonhomeworkhasexaminedwhat
parentalinvolvementresultsnaturally,withoutpromptsorinstructionfromteachers.In
contrast,thisstudyexperimentallyexaminedtheeffectsofteacherpromptstoparentsfor
involvementintheirchildren'shomework. Twohundredandfifty-threestudentsfrom
10classesofsixthandeighthgradestudentsparticipatedinthestudythatlasted18weeks
oftheschoolyear.SixclassesofstudentscompletedtheTIPS(TeachersInvolveParents
InSchoolwork)interactivehomeworkassignments,andfourclassescompletedthenon-
interactiveassignmentsthatcontainedthesamecontentandquestionsastheTIPS
assignments.TheTIPSstudentsreceivedinstructionstoinvolveaparentorotherfamily
partnerincertainsectionsofthehomeworkassignment.TheATIPSstudentsreceived
thesameassignmentwithnoinstructiontoinvolveanotherperson.Resultsindicatedthat
TIPSstudentsmoreofteninvolvedparentsintheirsciencehomeworkassignmentsthan
didATIPSstudents.However,TIPSsciencestudentsreportednomoreparental
involvementinhomeworkthanATIPSstudentsinsubjectswhereteachersdidnotassign
interactivehomework.Therefore,theTIPSinstructionselicitedmoreparental
involvementinhomeworkthantheATIPSassignments.TheTIPSstudentsdidnotdiffer
fromATIPSstudentsinaccuracyorthepercentofhomeworkreturned.Studentswho
ratedthehomeworkmorepositivelyandwhoregularlyinvolvedtheirfamiliesreturned
morehomeworkassignmentsthanstudentswhodidnotdoso.TheTIPSstudentsdid
earnsignificantlyhighersciencereportcardgradesthanATIPSstudentsaftercontrolling
forbackgroundvariables,teachereffects,andpercentofhomeworkreturned.
Exploratoryanalysesofmatchedstudentandparentdatasuggesttheimportanceofboth
studentandparentdatainresearchofinteractivehomework.Theresultsofthestudy
indicatethebenefitsofwell-designedinteractivehomeworkforlevelsoffamily
involvement,scienceattitudes,andscienceachievement.