Inappropriate social skills exhibited early in elementary school can interfere with cooperative group work, completion of academic tasks on time, and academic growth. This action research project evaluated the impact of a program for improving social behavior in a cooperative group setting to reduce inappropriate interactions and increase positive…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program to enhance students' prosocial behaviors. The targeted population consisted of students in two second and one third-grade classrooms in a declining urban area of a large midwestern city. The problem of inappropriate behaviors was documented through discipline reports, anecdotal…

This research project devised and evaluated a program for improving primary grade students' interpersonal skills to reduce their inappropriate behaviors when interacting with others. Teacher surveys, journals and observations of children's behavior were used to document poor interpersonal skills in kindergartners through third graders in four…

Poor social skills among young elementary school students can result in lack of cooperation with others and an inability to resolve conflicts. This action research project examined the impact of a program for improving social competence through improving listening skills, cooperation, respect for others, and respect for authority. Participating in…

Problem solving is applicable to all grade levels and subject areas. This study focused on the development of problem-solving skills in fifth grade students using problem-solving software. A pre- and post-test were administered to 21 fifth grade students. Four students were chosen for the treatment group and four for the control group. The…

This study was undertaken to determine whether hierarchically structured problem situations could be developed and used to identify where individual solutions to problems in elementary physics are interrupted and whether examination of student approaches to problem situations would be useful to physics teaching. A random sample of 26 students…

Observations were made of infant caregivers in four child care centers to determine which stimulation acts (verbal and physical contacts) were provided for the infants and with what frequency of occurrence. It was hypothesized that walking infants would receive more stimulation acts than non-walkers. Nineteen caregivers were observed interacting…

This report describes a program for improving higher-order thinking skills in mathematics of (n=17) third-, (n=27) fifth-, and (n=27) sixth-grade students in a middle class community. Three interventions were chosen: (1) cooperative learning to develop student self-confidence and to improve student achievement, (2) the instruction of students in…

The report describes a program to improve students social skills and level of responsibility. The targeted eighth and ninth grade students are located in two communities in northwestern Illinois. The problem of students exhibiting a lack of social skills and responsibility had been documented by student discipline referrals, anecdotal records,…

This five-session research-based program trains parents in various skills through a series of experiential learning activities. An introductory chapter reviews the problem initiating the study, the purpose, importance, assumption, limitations, and plan of the study, along with a definition of terms. Next, a literature review examines materials…

Reports on a study done with the intentions of determining the relative contribution of eight variables in predicting environmental behavior. Concluded that the major predictors were skill in using environmental action strategies, level of environmental sensitivity, and percieved knowledge of environmental action strategies. (TW)

The purpose of this action research project is to improve student social skills through the use of cooperative learning, in order to develop a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. The action research project will involve approximately 95 students, 95 parents, and 200 teachers. It is the intent of the teacher researchers to…

When elementary and middle level students lack effective problem-solving skills, they may make poor behavior choices in social conflicts, contributing to a negative learning and instructional environment. This action research project evaluated the impact of using social skills instruction to improve students' ability to solve problems related to…

This Master's project was designed to implement and evaluate classroom intervention and training in conflict resolution for elementary school students. Subjects were first and third graders from a rural community in north central Illinois. To document the extent of existing student conflict, a teacher survey and journal, playground behavior…

This action research project implemented and evaluated an intervention for increasing student engagement in learning to improve academic success. The targeted population consisted of students in four separate schools: pre-kindergarten and eighth graders in a large metropolitan area and fifth and eighth graders in a rural community. The lack of…