DOCUMENT RESUME VT 011 536 ED 042 041 08 Maley, Donald AUTHOR of TITLE The Implementation andFurther Development Experimental Cluster Conc2.ptPrograms Through Testing and EvaluationIncluding Placement and Follow-Up of Subjects.The Cluster ConceptProject, Phase IV. Final Report. Maryland Univ., CollegePark. INSTITUTION Washington, D.C. Pureau SPONS AGENCY Office of Education (DHEW) , of Research. BUREAU NO PR-7-0853 PUP DATE Aug 69 GRANT OEG-0-8-000853-1P65(085) NOTE 382p. EDRS PRICE FDRS Price MF-$1.50HC-$19.20 DESCRIPTORS Building Trades, CognitiveAbility, *Curriculum Development, ElectricalOccupations, *Experimental Programs, Grade 12,Metal Working Occupations, *Occupational Clusters,Pilot Projects, Program Descriptions, *ProgramEvaluation, Psychomotor Skills, *Trade andIndustrial Education,Vocational Interests IDENTIFIERS CCP, Cluster ConceptProgram ABSTRACT The Cluster Concept Program(CCP) for 11th and12th education, has completedits second year. ThE grade vocational capability in a program is designedto prepare youthfor entry level specific occupation. A variety of relatedoccupations rather than a pretest/posttest researchdesign, with control andexperimental group design in ccnstructioncluster groups, metalfabrication cluster used to obtain an groups, andelectromechanical cluster groups was estimate of the effectivenessof the programs. It wasfound that in some schools the programsdid significantly changethe student behaviors in the directionof the state objectivesof the programs. Changes in cognitiveabilities, broadenedknowledge and job interests, flexibility ofoccupational choice and growthin the performance of skill tasks wereobserved. The appendixescontain measurement instrumentsand achievement testsused in program evaluation. Related courseoutlines and final reports areavailable 965.(GR) as ED 010301-ED 010 304, ED 016841-ED 016 844 and ED 022 -41m C:) FINAL REPORT CV Project Number 7-0853 4 Grant Number OEG-08-000853-1865 (085) THE IMPLEMENTATION AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL CLUSTER CONCEPT PROGRAMS THROUGH TESTING AND EVALUATION INCLUDING PLACEMENT AND FOLLOW-UP OF SUBJECTS THE CLUSTER CONCEPT PROJECT Phase IV Dr. Donald Maley Principal Investigator Professor and Head Industrial Education Department Dr. Walter S. Mietus Research Coordinator University of Maryland College Park, Maryland August 1969 The research reported herein was performed pursuant to a grant with the Office of Education, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Contractors undertaking such projects under Government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment in the conduct of the project. Points of view or opinions stated do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Office of Education position or policy. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Office of Education Bureau of Research U.S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS SEEN REPROC"r.ED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON toR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECES- SARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES iv LIST OF FIGURES vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii SUMMARY OF PROJECT ix PART I INTRODUCTION 1 Summary of Previous Research 2 Rationale and Justification for the Cluster Concept 2 Developing the Cluster Concept Programs 11 Pbase II of the Cluster Concept Project 16 Phase III of the Cluster Concept Project 24 Summary 30 PART II THE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SECOND YEAR OF FIELD RESEARCH 32 Introduction 32 Purposes and Problems 34 The Effect of the Cluster Concept Programs on Student BehavAcrs ... 38 Presentation of Data and Findings SO Treatment of Data and Findings 52 Construction Cluster 54 ii Table of Contents, continued Page Summary Statement of Achievement for the Construction Cluster 61 Metal Forming and Fabrication Cluster 63 Summary Statement cf Achievement for the Metal Forming and Fabrication Cluster 67 Electro-Mechanical Installation and Repair Cluster . 69 Summary Statement of Achievement for the Electro- Mechanical Cluster 71 Mechanical Reasoning Abilities 72 PART III EVALUATION OF CLUSTER CONCEPT PILOT PROGRAMS 95 Introduction 95 Evaluation of the Construction Cluster Program 97 Evaluation of the Metal Forming and Fabrication Cluster Program 147 Evaluation of the Electro-Mechanical Installation and Repair Cluster 200 PART IV PLACEMENT OF GRADUATES 230 Introduction 230 PART V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 241 Introduction 241 Rescarch Summary of Phase IV 242 Final Statement 267 APPENDICES 269 iii LIST OF TABLES Table Page Variables of Pre- and Posttests 36 II. Data and Reliability Estimates of Cluster Concept Tests 43 III. Total Population Distribution by Cluster, Phase IV . 48 IV. Means and Standard Deviations Derived from the Cluster Program Achievement Tests- 2 Yr. Posttest 56 V. Analyses of Variance of Cluster Concept Achievement Test Scores, Experimental vs. Control Group- 2 Yr. Posttest . 57 VI. Mann-Whitney U-Test Summary Tables 58 VII. Means and Standard Deviati "ns of the Construction Cluster Students Derived from,the Achievement Test and the Mechanical Reasoning Abilities Test (D.A.T.) h ..... 60 VIII. Means and Standard Deviations of the Metal Forming and Fabricatiofi Cluster Students Derived from the Achievement Test and the Mechanical Reasoning Abilities Test (D.A,T,) 65 IX. Means and Standard Deviations of the Electro,Mechanical Cluster Students Derived from the Achievement Test and the Mechanical Reasoning Abilities Test (D.A.T.) .... 70 X. Means and Standard Deviations Derived from the Mechanical Reasoning Abilities Test (D.A.T. - 2 Yr. Posttest) 73 X7, Analyses of Variance of Data from Mechanical Reasoning Abilities Test (D.A.T.),Experimental vs. Control- 2 Yr Posttest 74 XII. Preparational Modes Identified as Most Important for Occupational Entry by Cluster Concept Students 77 XIII. Student Occupational Choices by Cluster 79 XIV. Student Responses to Specified Occupational Characteristics 83 XV. Results of Selected Empirical and Homogeneous Scales from the Minnesota Vocational Interest Inventory 90 iv List of Tables, continued Page XVI. First Jobs of Graduates 237 XVII. Summary of Post High School Entry Jobs 239 XVIII. Task Summaries 256 XIX. Suggested Media for Experiences 258 XX. Further Factors for Laboratory Planning Construction Cluster 264 XXI. Further Factors for Laboratory Planning Metal Fabrication Cluster 265 XXII. Further Factors for Laboratory Planning Electro-Mechanical Cluster 266 V LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Occupational Clusters 12 2. Task Statement Format 14 3. Cluster Concept Project Phase I, September 1965 - August 1966 17 4. Cluster Concept Project Phase II, September 1966 - August 1967 18 5. Cluster Concept Project Phase III, September 1967 - August 1968 19 6. Cluster Concept Project Phase IV, September 1968 - August 1969 20 7. Cluster Concept Project Phase IV (cont'd), September 1968- August 1969 21 8. Truncated Overview of Activities, Phase IV 33 9. Syntagma of Operations Resolving Hypotheses Phase III; Replicated Phase IV 53 10. Recommended Floor Plan - Construction Cluster 102 11. Task Inventory, School A 107 12. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School A 112 13. Task Inventory, School C 117 14. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School C 122 15. Task Inventory, School D, Teacher D 128 16. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School D - Teacher D 134 vi List of Figures, continued Page 17. Task Inventory, School H 138 18. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School H 144 19. Recommended Floor Plan - Metal Forming and Fabrication Cluster 152 20. Task Inventory, School B 154 21. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School B 161 22. Task Inventory, School E 165 23. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School E 175 24. Task Inventory, School D, Teacher F 180 25. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School D-Teacher F 187 26. Task Inventory, School J 191 27. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School J 199 28. Recommended Floor Plan - Electro-Mechanical Installation and Repair Cluster 204 29. Task Inventory, School G 209 30. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School G 216 31. Task Inventory, School M 222 32. Summary-Evaluation of Cluster Concept Pilot Program School M 229 33. Job Schema 233 vii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Cluster Concept research staff of the University of Maryland is indebted to the teachers who energetically implemented the programs under study. Many problems which interjected burdens upon the daily process of pedagogy were encountered. Teacher resourcefulness and additional time for study and preparation far beyond the usual expecta- tions were demanded for the implementation of the new programs. The research staff wishes to express its gratitude t( "r. James L. Reid, Director of the Division of Vocational Educa.ion and to Mr. Warren Smeltzer, Assistant Dire:Jr of Vocational Education of the Maryland State Department of Education. Grateful appreciation is directed to all of the county super- visors and high school principals who contributed in a variety of significant ways to the completion of two years of field research. The decision was made that within this evaluative study the names of these educational leaders and teachers would remain anonymous. The principal investigator is pleased to acknowledge the work done by Walter Mietus, the director of the research and for the