Comparative analysis of dynamic assessment using a non-verbal standardized intelligence test

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Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014
1-1-1991
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Peliwe P. Lolwana
University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Lolwana, Peliwe P., "Comparative analysis of dynamic assessment using a non-verbal standardized
intelligence test and a verbal curriculum-based test." (1991). Doctoral Dissertations 1896 - February 2014.
1165.
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COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DYNAMIC ASSESSMENT
USING A NON-VERBAL STANDARDIZED
INTELLIGENCE TEST
AND A VERBAL CURRICULUM-BASED
TEST
A
Dissertation Presented
by
Peliwe P. Lolwana
Submitted to the Graduate School of the
University of Massachusetts in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
February 1991
School of Education
©Copyright by Peliwe P. Lolwana 1991
All Rights Reserved
COMPARATIVE
ANALYSIS OF DYNAMIC
ASSESSMENT
USING A NON-VERBAL
STANDARDIZED
INTELLIGENCE TEST
AND A VERBAL CURRICULUM-BASED
TEST
A
Dissertation Presented
by
Peliwe Lolwana
P.
Approved as to style and content by:
DEDICATION
my
To late mother
Eleanor Somyalo,
who
never failed to see
the potential in me.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This is the climax of my formal education which is rooted in my own
primary school, Balasi Community School, in Qumbu, South Africa. It has
been a very long way from there to here. To acknowledge individually all the
teachers, relatives, and friends who have touched my educational life along the
way is impossible, but I wish to express my gratitude to all of them.
I had the encouragement, support and cooperation of a great many
people throughout the process of completing this study. This document would
not be complete without my expression of deepest appreciation to those whose
help was most significant.
As chairperson of my dissertation committee, Ron Fredrickson provided
tireless assistance and guidance throughout this project. I could always count
on him to provide structure and direction, when they were needed, and to
help get things "unstuck" whenever they started to get bogged down. He kept
this project moving, regardless of how fast or slow the pace. Shirley DeShields
me
has provided with on-going strength and inspiration through her never-
ending encouragement and support. Her unwaving confidence in my abilities
was appreciated. Nylda Glickman was also generous with her time and
my
guidance in serving on dissertation committee. Throughout this project,
she continued to stretch my thinking and has helped me to view things in new
and different ways.
This project would not have been possible without the support and
cooperation of the Chesnut Hill Community School. I am particularly grateful
v
to Mr. Girioux, the school principal; Messers Mysona and Caponi, the class
teachers; Mr. Guiel, the guidance director; and all the support staff in the
school office for their support and help and for the active roles they played in
carrying out this project. I am very grateful to all the students who agreed to
participate in this study.
am
I also indebted to others who helped in many ways: to Robin
Harris for all the baby sitting she generously provided me with; to Harriet
Boyden at the Hampshire College Computer Center whose help with all the
computer programs I had to use was invaluable; to Dr. Milton Budoff who
generously allowed me to use his Learning Potential Test materials; and to all
who
those so willingly listened and provided encouragement, especially
Hampshire College members.
Most especially, I thank all those who continued to demonstrate
unconditional love and support; my brother Mpo and his wife Lungiswa, and
my sister Bukelwa. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my
children, Kungeka, Sanelisiwe, and Sivenengesihle. My children were involved
in many ways in this project, from typing the many drafts, giving me time and
space, and were amazingly patient, during the most difficult time. Finally,
I
would like to thank my husband Mvula, for always being there for me.
While this research involved many hours of solitary work, I was never alone in
my
task.
Peliwe
vi
ABSTRACT
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DYNAMIC
ASSESSMENT
USING A NON-VERBAL STANDARDIZED INTELLIGENCE TEST
AND A VERBAL CURRICULUM-BASED
TEST
FEBRUARY
1991
PELIWE LOLWANA,
P. B.A., UNIVERSITY OF TRANSKEI
B.A. HONS., UNIVERSITY OF TRANSKEI
M.Ed., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Ph.D., UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Directed by: Professor Ronald H. Fredrickson
The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparative analysis of
dynamic assessment procedures when two types of tests are used. Specifically,
the aim of this study was to find out whether instructions on basic cognitive
skills would improve the students' performance on specific standardized tests.
The tests that were used were: a verbal educational test (Standardized Test of
Essential Writing Skills), and a non-verbal intelligence test (Raven Progressive
Matrices).
Fifty two subjects were randomly selected from the 7th grade
population of a middle school in Western Massachusetts. This sample
represented slightly more than 35% of the 7th grade population of this school
vii
(N=148). Two out of five seventh grade classes were selected by the principal
and the researcher. One was a low academic performance class and the other
was a high academic performance class. Prior academic performance and
achievement scores were collected from the school records. Participation in
this study was voluntary.
The administration of the pretest instruments (Raven progressive
Matrices and Standardized Test of Essential Writing Skills) was done in group
sessions. Students were divided into two treatment groups and each group
was exposed to two sessions of graduated prompting instructions, each session
lasting 30-40 minutes. The same pretest assessment instruments were then
administered during the post test. Individual student data was held
confidential and combined into a group statistical process.
According to the research findings it appears that dynamic assessment
did improve the subjects' performance on the verbal, educational test
(Standardized Test of Essential Writing Skills), but not on the non-verbal,
intelligence test (Raven Progressive Matrices). The type of instructions
received did not seem to have a significant effect on the subjects' post test
performance on both the Standardized Test of Essential Writing Skills and
Raven Progressive Matrices. However, a comparison of the highest and lowest
academic groups, (as defined by the teachers) showed that the lowest group
improved their scores on all test measures as compared to the highest
academic group.
viii