"The Effectiveness of Using Writing in the High School Biology Classroo" by Lynne E. Kelly
 

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Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Biology--Study and teaching (Secondary);

Abstract

"Writing across the curriculum" programs have emerged throughout the United States during the last decade as an attempt to improve both writing skills and learning of today's youth. The purpose of this study was to determine if students learn and retain concepts of biology to a greater extent in a program using expressive writing than a program using traditional expository writing. The sample consisted of two high school biology classes from Fort Dodge Senior High School, Fort Dodge, Iowa. Expressive writing assignments were incorporated into the biology curriculum of the experimental group two to four times a week during the fall semester 1987. The test instruments used in the study were a biology pretest, Iowa Tests of Educational Development (!TED), biology posttest, and biology retention posttest. The basic analysis of data was in terms of gain scores within each of the two groups. Ai-test was employed in examining the difference between means of the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used as a supplementary treatment of the date. There was lack of evidence in this study to show a greater increase of learning and retention of biology by students using expressive writing than by students taught in the traditional mode.

Year of Submission

1988

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Physics

First Advisor

Roy Unruh

Second Advisor

D. Louis Finsand

Third Advisor

Gordon J. Rhum

Comments

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Date Original

1988

Object Description

1 PDF file (82 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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