Barrett, Michael J.
(1995)
The Impact of Streaming on Post-Primary Students'
Attitudes to Teachers, Motivation and Learning.
Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
Abstract
This is a study of pupils in a streamed environment to see how
their motivation, approaches to learning, and general
perceptions of their teachers and school environment, differs
according to their stream position. The "Review of the
Literature" reveals a continuing debate on the efficacy of
this form of ability grouping. Much of the criticism of
streaming centres on the negative effects it tends to have on
the lower stream pupils, in terms of a lowering of academic
performance, and eliciting an anti-school, delinguent subculture.
The research methodology involved an Inventory chosen for its
diversity of measurement, containing scales describing a wide
variety of pupil, teacher and school characteristics. The
quantitative study deals with a scientifically selected sample
of one hundred and nine Third Year Secondary Boys, living in
County Kildare.
Our findings did not support current research, with regard to
bottom pupils being less positive towards teachers and school
than their upper stream counterparts. Indeed, they show a
distinct willingness to learn, and display a positiveness
towards their teachers, second only to the top stream.
Our research did show, however, that the lower stream pupils
tend to be less competent in terms of their skill in learning.
Yet, the top stream did not report themselves to be overly
skilful in this area, either.
The "Review of Literature" suggests that the negative effects
of streaming may be lessened, should enough resources be
focused on the pupils in the lower streams. The
uncharacteristically positive attitudes of the lower streams
appears to suggest that such is the case in this school. We
recommend further study in the side effects of this practice,
as, while it appears to be benefiting the lower streams, we
found an upper stream to be uniguely negative about teachers
and school. We suggest that this hostile upper stream may have
been unintentionally neglected as a result of an overconcentration
of resources in the lower streams.
| Item Type: |
Thesis
(Masters)
|
| Keywords: |
Impact; Streaming; Post-Primary Students;
Attitudes; Teachers; Motivation; Learning; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Sociology |
| Item ID: |
10377 |
| Depositing User: |
IR eTheses
|
| Date Deposited: |
07 Jan 2019 10:29 |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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