A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
A Comparison Of Learning Attitudes
Among Secondary Urban Students In Schools Of Choice:
A Case Study

Mark J. Silverstein, Ed. D.
December, 2001

RETURN
edited 5/15/02

 


ABSTRACT

The purpose of this case study was to analyze the learning attitudes and related self efficacy of secondary urban students across schools of choice. The subject group were all students in one urban New Jersey district. Within the district boundary, various schooling options were available to students. These options included regular zoned schools, as well as magnet, charter, and parochial choice options.

Rofes (1992) states continuing concern about the quality of public education leading to an ever increasing interest in school choice options nationwide. The 2000 presidential election has also refocused attention on the state of public schools and alternative options to improve them. A strong influence on student academic attitudes is self-efficacy. This is defined as a sense of confidence regarding the performance of specific tasks and judgements about what one can do with the skills one possesses (Bandura, 1977; Bandura, 1982; Bandura, 1986). Self-efficacy can be influenced by an individual's perceptions, observations, and interpretations. These items can vary greatly among types of schools, based on the instructional messages students receive in each environment. These messages are influenced by the f6cus or mission of the school and the surrounding home environments students find themselves in.

There has been little research to date surveying the students involved in various choice options at the secondary level. Major efforts have focused on attitudes of private scholarship students; Peterson (1999), parochial school students; Hill (1990), and charter students; Vanourek (1997). None has surveyed student learning attitudes across all available choice options and how they relate to their perceived self-efficacy.

A 114 question student learning attitude / self-efficacy survey was administered in the Spring of 2001 to 336 students. Randomly selected students at each type of school choice option participated. The survey questions were based on a construct developed by David DuBois of the University of Missouri to assess adolescent feelings relating to primary contexts; school, peers, family, activities, and related self-efficacy. DuBois field tested the Middle Level Leadership Survey on 225 secondary students, both pre and post test (DuBois, et al., 1996). His findings provided support that the school domain was an important mediator on the effect of family advantage on academic achievement.

The instrument provided information about secondary students on multiple scales, allowing data to be collected which compared differences in academic related attitudes among the various sample groups. For each item, variance was analyzed to test the significance of the mean differences among school types. This indicated 75% of the survey items were statistically significant across the various school options. The subject students came from homogenous socioeconomic conditions. School climate perception differences were the most pronounced. The least number of significant response differences were in the parental involvement area.

Charter and zoned public students expressed similar leaming attitudes, while magnet and parochial students showed differences from the prior two choice options. Magnet students indicated positive self-efficacy but were closely followed by zoned public students. This indicated the public students, while possessing the confidence to achieve, are often stymied by other factors, in part, related to the mission of the school itself Choice schools without a clear mission were not as successful in positively impacting student learning attitudes and efficacy.

The findings of this study were translated into recommendations for the type schools involved and for the policy makers associated with these schools.

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