Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2008
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice
Advisor
Carolyn S. Buckenmaier
Committee Member
Patricia A. Heiselberg
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
Adolescent Literacy/High School Transition Programs/Content Area Literacy/ Teaching Methods
Abstract
This evaluative applied dissertation was designed to provide a summative evaluation of a high school literacy program that had been offered since 2005 to freshmen in a rural high school located in the southeastern United States. This high school literacy program was implemented in response to the rigorous demands of the high school curriculum and the new testing criteria from the state.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the program. To achieve this purpose, the participation of teachers and school administrators was solicited. The study utilized a survey and interviews that solicited the perceptions of these educators to ensure a thorough analysis of the program. Archived student and current empirical data were also examined to provide additional input. The four components of Stufflebeam’s (2003) evaluation model formed the focus of the study. The context phase identified the school’s initial needs and concerns that initiated the program. The input phase determined the process used to select the program. The process phase examined the implementation of the program, and the product phase determined if the goals and objectives of this high school literacy program were met.
Data were collected from interviews with the classroom teacher and the high school director, as well as from anonymous surveys completed by administrative leaders and classroom teachers. Archived data, English I End-of-Course Test (EOCT) scores, grade point averages (GPAs), and absences were also used. Lesson plans and materials used in implementing the program were shared. Agenda and staff development handouts were examined as well. The evaluation revealed that the Success 101 literacy program had limited impact on the academic achievement of at-risk students. Scores on the English I EOCT improved, but no noticeable differences occurred in student GPAs or absences. Except for the Success 101 teacher and the high school director, the majority of the academic teachers had limited or no understanding of the program
NSUWorks Citation
Julie Anne Joslin. 2008. An Evaluation of a High School Literacy Program. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. (928)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/928.