THE EFFECT OF ENHANCED MATH IN THE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER COSMETOLOGY CURRICULUM ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AT ONE RURAL SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA
Open Access
- Author:
- Davis, Alice Marie
- Graduate Program:
- Workforce Education and Development
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- December 01, 2008
- Committee Members:
- Richard Allen Walter, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Richard Allen Walter, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
William J Rothwell, Committee Member
Cynthia Pellock, Committee Member
Edward Yoder, Committee Member
Judith Ann Kolb, Committee Member - Keywords:
- cosmetology math integration
contextual learning - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT This study, which was modeled after the Math-in-CTE Project (Hyslop, 2007), was intended to provide career and technical education (CTE) professionals important information about the rigorous legislative requirements imposed by The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) and the 2006 reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins) along with detailed presentations of research on how student achievement can be improved to meet those requirements. Specifically, the study first examined whether professional development of a selected group of professionals (Cosmetology teachers) to help enhance the math in their curriculum improved the math achievement of their students as measured by the ACCUPLACER® CPT test. Secondly, the study examined whether professional development to help Cosmetology instructors enhance the math in their curriculum improved the math achievement of their students (as measured by the ACCUPLACER® CPT test) significantly more than the rest of the students in the school that did not have teachers with professional development. This first-time attempt at integrating mathematics into the CTE curriculum in the CTC did not result in a statistically significant level of improvement in the math achievement of the Treatment Group in the study. These results are expected to improve next year, and in subsequent years, as teachers grow in their knowledge of math and their confidence in presenting math to their students in more effective and engaging ways. This base study year has provided a great start to a program that is expected to greatly benefit teachers and students in all CTE programs of study. As Dr. Gene Bottoms of the Southern Regional Education Board has stated: “High-quality CTE joined with rigorous academic studies is a key strategy for ensuring more students graduate prepared for postsecondary studies and careers” (Bottoms, 2008, p. 21).