ERIC Number: EJ753972
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 33
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1932-202X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Relationships between Implementing Character Education, Student Behavior, and Student Achievement
Skaggs, Gary; Bodenhorn, Nancy
Journal of Advanced Academics, v18 n1 p82-114 Fall 2006
Over a 4-year period, researchers measured several outcomes in 5 school districts initiating or enhancing character education programs. Based on student, teacher, and administrator surveys, there was a noticeable improvement in character-related behavior. In certain districts, suspension and drop-out rates also decreased after the implementation of the character education programs; however, the relationship between these behavioral indicators and character education was inconclusive. Character education programming had little impact on student achievement, perhaps because of the lack of a direct relationship between character education goals and student achievement goals. In addition, the research examined the relationship between the implementation level of the program within the school and the measured outcomes. As expected, schools with more fully-implemented programs experienced a greater improvement in perceived character-driven behavior and lower suspension rates than schools with less well-implemented programs. The highest degree of implementation in schools resulted when personnel at those schools embraced the program as their own. This underlined the necessity for gaining community and staff support for the implementation of a character education program. (Contains 7 tables and 8 figures.)
Descriptors: Student Behavior, Values Education, Suspension, Discipline, Academic Achievement, Ethical Instruction, Correlation, Social Values, Moral Values, Teacher Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Administrator Attitudes, Altruism, Program Effectiveness, Program Implementation, School Culture, School Districts, Educational Environment, Longitudinal Studies, Dropout Rate, Teacher Surveys, Student Surveys
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A