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Xeroxl University Microfilms 300 North Zw b Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 74-3354 WHITFIELD, Truman Dale, 1945- AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF PUPIL PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER BEHAVIOR TO DEVELOP A CLASSROCM OBSERVATIONAL SYSTZM. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1973 Education, theory and practice University Microfilms, A XEROX Company , Ann Arbor, Michigan © 1973 Truman Dale Whitfield ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS niRRPRTATlON HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF PUPIL PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHER 4 BEHAVIOR TO DEVELOP A CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONAL SYSTEM DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Truman Dale Whitfield, B.S., M.A. ******* The Ohio State University 1973 Reading Committee: Approved by James K. Duncan Donald L. Haefele Adviser John B. Hough Curriculum and Foundations ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • This dissertation has been a very involved yet rewarding undertaking. The writer wishes to convey his heartfelt gratitude to several people for their assistance: To my chairman, Dr. Charles M. Galloway, indeed a friend, who gave support and guidance throughout this dissertation as well as my entire doctoral program; To Dr. James K. Duncan for his thoughtful suggestions concern­ ing this study and other issues over the past two years; To Dr. John B. Hough who kept me from getting lost in the "forest of the unknown" by his insistance that I plan very carefully what I intended to undertake in the study; To Dr. Donald Haefele for the thoughtful attention he gave this study and the helpful suggestions he made; To Ellie Wiseman for her encouraging words during the study, and for her assistance in typing letters and making editorial comments throughout the dissertation; To the teachers and students in the Owensboro Public School System who supplied the invaluable perceptual data; To the external panel of judges (Dr. Russell French, Dr. Ronald Hyman, Dr. Donald Medley, and Dr. Barbara Grant) for their assistance in sorting the student perceptual statements; ii Xo the observers (Hayward Handy, Nancy Zimpher, and Judith Morris) who spent hours learning the system and coding video tapes; Xo Beverly Newcomb who typed this document in two short weeks with a level of expertise that is evident throughout the manuscript; Xo my daughter, Betsy, who had to have a pencil and piece of paper each day to help her "daddy write his dissertation;" Finally, to my loving wife, Donna, who spent many long hours conducting interviews, analyzing data, typing, and editing this study. The study truly would not have been possible without her help and love. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................... ii LIST OF TABLES ....................................... vii Chapter I. THE PROBLEM............................................ 1 Introduction................. 1 Purpose of the S t u d y '. 4 Design of the Stu d y ..................... 5 Statement of the Problem Delimitations, Limitations, and Assumptions Definition of Terms Instrumentation Procedure for Collecting the Data Treatment of the Data Plan of the Report of the S t u d y ........................ 11 II. A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATU RE......... 13 Introduction ......................................... 13 The Significance of the Role of Perception: A Study of Classroom Interaction............................ 14 Introduction Part I: The Perception of Others: A Needed Focus Part II: The Conceptualization of Perception Part III: Related Studies on Perception Summary of the Review of Literature on Perception The Interview in Social Research ............ 34 Introduction A Rationale for the Use of the Interview With Children Some Methodological Considerations Observational Procedures Used In* The Analysis of Teacher-Student Classroom Behavior ........ ..... 43 Introduction Direct Observation of Classroom Interaction Using Structured Systems Studies Employing Participant-Observation Techniques iv Page Summary................................................. 57 Perception Interview Observational Procedures III. PROCEDURES ............................................. 60 Introduction ........................................... 60 Development and Pilot Testing of the Questionnaire ......................................... 61 Procedures Used In The Study P r o p e r .................... 64 Introduction Phase I: Population Definition and Procedures Used to Collect Student Perceptions Phase II: Treatment of the Student Perceptions Phase III: The Q Methodology Employed to Obtain a Measure of Construct Validity Phase IV: Training of Observers to Use the Observational System and Resultant Measures of Inter-Rater Reliability Summary.........................: ...................... 79 IV. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE D A T A .................. 83 Introduction ........................................... 83 The Nature of the Perceptual Statements ................ 84 Sortings By the Panel of Judges--Construct Validity . 100 Codings By Observers--Inter-Rater Reliability .......... 105 Summary of Findings..................................... Ill V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............. 113 Summary................................................. 113 Summary of the Findings ....... 115 Conclusions............................................. 116 Speculations and Implications........................ 119 Recommendations for Future Research .................... 123 Appendix A ........................................................... 127 B ........................ 137 C ........................................................... 146 D ........................................................... 154 v Page E .......... 162 F . ..................... 181 G ................................................. 188 H ..................................................... 192 I ........................................................... 194 REFERENCES ................................................... 220 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Number of Classes Per School, Number of Classes Selected, and Number of Students For This S t u d y ................................................. 66 2. Tallies of Student Perceptual Statements Into the Respective Categories ............................. 101 3. Judges' Sortings of Pupils' Statements of Their Teachers' Classroom Behaviors Into Predetermined Categories ............................. 103 4- Percentages of Teacher Behaviors Coded Into Predetermined Categories by Observers Over Six Video Taped Teaching E p i s o d e s ............ 107 5. Cohen-Inter-Rater-Reliability Coefficients of Each Observer When Compared to This Researcher on Each Incident Observed ................ 109 vii CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Introduction The study of classroom behavior has attracted a large following in the last two decades. This proliferation of studies has centered largely around the use of observational systems as a means of gather­ ing data. Observation schedules have been developed to serve many functions. Systems have been developed to cover everything from classroom social-emotional climate (Withall, 1949; Flanders, 1963) to the study of content used in specific lessons (Hill, 1969; Herbert, 1967). The development of observation systems poses many problems. One of the major concerns is what to use as an information source in the development of an observational schedule. Traditionally three sources have been used in the development of observation instruments or procedures: (1) systems developed through some theoretical premises; (2) systems developed from classes of behavior which came from a theoretical