Abstract/Notes: The present study compares elementary school children from Traditional and Montessori programs. The purpose is to investigate how different educational philosophies and teaching methods affect perceived levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy, prosocial behavior and aggressive behavior in children. The participants in this study consisted of second through sixth grade students who were attending Montessori and Traditional schools since the age of five, or earlier. All children completed the Washington Self-Description Questionnaire (WSDQ), three subscales of the Children's Multi-dimensional Self-Efficacy Scales (i.e., academic achievement, self-regulated learning, & social), the Physical and Verbal Aggression Scale, and the Prosocial Behavior Scale. No significant differences were revealed between the Montessori and Traditional programs in relation to the children's perceived levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy for academic achievement, self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, social self-efficacy, or prosocial behavior. However, the Montessori children reported significantly lower levels of physical/verbal aggression than the Traditional children. Moreover, as Montessori children develop a heightened ability to work within a group of peers, they seem to develop lower levels of physical/verbal aggression, which was not found among Traditional children. Furthermore, Montessori children's perceived ability to make and keep friends of the same gender was found to significantly improve with increased years in the program, which was not found in the Traditional method. For Montessori children, their perceived ability to work together in a group was found to be positively associated with heightened levels of self-efficacy for academic achievement and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning. Furthermore, the Montessori children's levels of self-esteem were correlated significantly with their perceived levels of self-efficacy for academic achievement and self-efficacy for self-regulated learning. Although Traditional children were also found to gain self-efficacy for self-regulated learning through working together at young ages, as they proceed to higher grade levels, their self-efficacy for self-regulated learning decreased.

Language: English

Published: San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2002

Abstract/Notes: Self-directed learning (SDL) has been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly with adult learners. However, research has indicated that it can be an effective means to educate younger students within a variety of disciplines. The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of student-directed learning through goal setting on academic performance and self-determination in lower elementary students. The researcher hypothesized that allowing students to self-direct their learning through goal setting would result in higher self-determination and improved academic performance. Researchers measured the progress of 15 students towards self-selected goals and compared their results to self-determination scores before and after the intervention. 77% of participants showed quantitatively measurable improvement of academic performance in their selected goal. 100% of participants showed qualitatively measurable improvements of academic performance in their selected goal. There was no evidence found to support that self-directed learning leads to higher self-determination, nor was their evidence found to support that self-determination leads to improved academic performance. This study provides evidence that student-directed learning implemented with student-selected goals in multiple academic areas leads to higher academic performance related to self-selected goals.

Language: English

Published: River Falls, Wisconsin, 2021

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of young children's team centered problem-based learning strategies(team centered PBL) on the self-efficacy and academic interests in young children's mathematics. For these purposes, the data were collected by questionnaire from 27 young children living in S-city. They were respectively assigned to experimental group and comparative group. The experimental group was trained four weeks with the 12th sessions through the team centered PBL. Before administrating the experimental procedure, both groups took the pretest for measuring their self-efficacy and academic interests. After the experimental sessions, they also took the posttests to measure both of them. The major results of this study were as follows: First, the experimental group trained through the team centered PBL strategies has got higher scores on the self-efficacy questionnaire than the comparative group. Second, the former which got higher scores on the self-efficacy also gained more scores on academic interests test than the latter. In light of these results, it suggests that young children's self-efficacy in the kindergarten could be acquired through team centered PBL strategies. / 본 연구의 목적은 유아 수학에 대한 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략이 유아의 자기효능감과 학습흥미에 어떤 영향을 미치는지를 밝혀내는 것이다. 이를 수행하기 위해 경기도 S시 소재의 H유치원만 5세반 실험집단 14명에게 4주 동안 총 12차시에 걸쳐 유아 수학 관련 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략을 실시하였다. 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략이 종료된 후에 유아 수학 관련 자기효능감검사와 학습흥미검사의 결과를 비교집단 13명의 결과와 비교 분석하였다. 본 연구에서 밝혀진 주요 결과로는 첫째, 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략을 받은 실험집단이 그렇지 않은 비교집단보다 유아 수학에 대한 자기효능감 점수가 유의미하게 높았다. 둘째, 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략으로 자기효능감이 높아진 실험집단이 그렇지 않은 비교집단보다 유아 수학에 대한 학습흥미에서도 유의미하게 높았다. 이 같은 연구결과는 수업시간에 유아들에게 수학 관련 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략이 제공될 경우, 유아들의 수학 관련 자기효능감과 학습흥미가 향상될 수 있음을 의미한다. 따라서 유아들의 수학 관련 자기효능감과 학습흥미 향상을 위해 모둠별 문제중심 학습전략을 적용해 볼 필요성이 있을 것이다.

Language: Korean

ISSN: 1226-9417

Language: English

ISSN: 0031-7217

Abstract/Notes: Portfolios have gained wide acceptance as a learning and assessment tool. Yet, little research has been reported on the practices of teachers who are actually using portfolios within their classrooms and how those practices are moderated by contextual variables. This research examined the instructional, learning, and assessment roles of student portfolios, and explored, from the perspective of the classroom teacher, variations in portfolio applications associated with teaching level (primary versus intermediate) and classroom environment (self-contained versus multiage/teaming). Teachers for kindergarten through grade 5 in 3 elementary schools (n=314) completed a survey questionnaire regarding the instructional and assessment uses to which portfolios are put within their classrooms. To further examine patterns of portfolio use, a subset of 44 teachers was interviewed to explore teacher perceptions about the impact of student portfolios on themselves and their students. Results suggest that these teachers make deliberate decisions regarding uses of their students' portfolios, decisions that appear heavily impacted by the maturity or skill level of the child, the purposes of the application, and the classroom environment within which the application occurs. They also depend on whether the portfolio product is in a formative state (working portfolio) or final state (performance portfolio). (Contains 7 tables and 14 references.) (Author/SLD)

Language: English

Published: Montreal, Canada, Apr 19-24, 1994

Abstract/Notes: The purpose of the research was to find whether the creation of self-assessed student work portfolios would be effective in engaging students in learning opportunities and lead to self-regulated behaviors. The research project was conducted in an upper elementary classroom. The class consists of twenty-three grade four to grade six Montessori students in a private school. Ten students have had a Montessori education starting in preschool, eight students started in grade three, two were held back a year, two students started in grade four, and two students started in grade six. Fifty-two percent of the class has a form of learning difference; prominently dyslexia. Three students are on the Autism spectrum. The sources of data used in this research included observation forms, self-assessment forms, journal prompts, teacher reflection journal, and student-teacher interviews. The results indicated an increase in engagement in learning and self-regulated behaviors. This was equally evident in the students with different learning needs. Implications are that empowering students with self-assessment and choices of work improves work habits and leads to better quality of learning outcomes and engagement. Students improved the most when they combined their self-assessment with peer feedback and were given direct responsibility for the creation of their own portfolio.

Language: English

Published: St. Paul, Minnesota, 2014

Language: English

ISSN: 1054-0040

Language: English

Published: Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, 2020

ISBN: 978-90-79506-35-4

Series: Montessori Series , 11

Language: English

Published: Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-85109-296-3

Series: The Montessori Series , 15

Language: English

ISSN: 1522-9734