Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Hare, Dwight R.

Committee Member

Olinzock, Anthony

Committee Member

Lindley, Clyde

Committee Member

Thomas, George

Date of Degree

12-11-2009

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Educational Administration

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Leadership and Foundations

Abstract

Student achievement and the incorporation of technology into the classroom have become a focus for schools all across the United States. In spite of emphasis on reading, writing, and arithmetic, standardized test scores indicate that US students‟ understanding of math is insufficient. In an effort to identify a means of solving the problem of low achievement levels in math, Interactive Whiteboards (IWB) as a learning tool in eighth grade math classes at Clarkdale Attendance Center was evaluated for its effectiveness. Additionally, the impact of differentiated learning styles on Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 (MCT2) math scores was analyzed. With todays generation of students being so technology oriented, it seems only fitting that teachers continue to find different technological ways to meet the needs of all learners, in order for them to achieve academically. The reasons for this research include: (a) determining if the implementation of IWB help increase student achievement in eighth grade math at Clarkdale Attendance Center, and (b) determining if IWB meet the needs of all individual learning styles. Not concurring with IWB literature, data obtained through this study indicated that IWB had no significant difference in eighth grade MCT2 mathematics test scores between students who were instructed using IWB technology and those who were not instructed with IWB technology, and that IWB had no significant effect of learning styles on students‟ eighth-grade MCT2 mathematics test scores adjusting for the effect of students‟ seventh-grade MCT mathematics test scores. Future research which replicates this study could be conducted with various other grades, school districts, and states to determine if the results of this study are consistent with findings related to it.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16346

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