Research Korner: Statement of the Problem

Research Proposal on Mainstreaming ill and Disabled Students into the Public School System

Mainstreaming Ill and Disabled Students into the Public School System Introduction The tension between exclusion and inclusion has been a shaping force in United States society and education. Public schools, in particular, have experienced stages of incorporating a larger number of children with disabilities into classrooms. During the 19th and much of the 20th centuries, there was a lengthy period of institutional segregated education for persons with disabilities. Today, many previously segregated learners have benefited from the social movement toward inclusive education. This movement has been sometimes slow and hesitant, but the overall result has been progress (Karagiannis, Stainback & Stainback, 1996). Several researches had already made the claim that integrating the ill and disabled students in the classroom shall deter their development and disrupt the learning of the regular students. However, I argue otherwise for three main reasons: (1) Including students with disabilities in general education classrooms heightens the awareness of each interrelated aspect of the school as a community; its boundaries, its benefits to members, its internal relationships, its relationships with the outside environment, and its history (Taylor, 1992); (2) ill and disabled students’ progress can be heightened by making them experience the regular classroom. It will further help them in coping with normal students. Finally, evidence shows that ill and disabled students does not disrupt the learning of the regular students. For this reasons, I find it imperative that school administrators, teachers, parents and students alike view the integration of ill and disabled students in the classroom more positively. The bias and stereotyping associated with ill and disabled students is hoped to be minimized particularly in Tucson, Arizona by the conduct of researches in this nature. Moreover, since there is a very limited number of schools accepting ill and disabled students in Arizona, it is the hope of this proposed study that public schools open the doors to the inclusion of ill and disabled students in the regular classroom. Background of the Study Mainstreaming ill and disabled students had been a hotly debated issue in the education journals. One school of thought contends that inclusion will deter the academic learning of the regular students. Another argue that it will not affect the learning of the regular students. Some even went to the extend to propose that it actually helps in the learning process of the students. The state of Arizona currently suffers from the discrimination of ill and disabled students’ inclusion in the public school system. This is evidenced by the very few schools that accepts them in the regular classroom. This is primarily because, the art of facilitating inclusion involved working creatively with the state of heightened awareness to redirect the energy bound up in fear toward problem solving that promoted reconsideration of boundaries, relationships, structures, and benefits Stainback & Stainback, 1996). When this redirection failed, students with disabilities remained on the outside of education, or they drifted with their individualized education programs (IEPs) and their aides (Schnorr, 1990). When this redirection succeeded, the life of a classroom shifted, in surprisingly quiet ways, to make room for new relationships, new structures, and new learning (Logan et al.,1994). Statement of the Problem Many educators agree that schools need to effectively integrate students with learning disabilities into the general education classroom. Students with learning disabilities are often characterized as inactive learners, remaining on the periphery of academic and social involvement in elementary and secondary classrooms (Torgeson, 1982). Central to the argument for effective integration of these students is that for a part of each day, most are removed from the general education curricula, and from their peers without disabilities; as a result, students with disabilities must continually reestablish themselves as members of the mainstream (Gartner & Lipsky, 1987; Reynolds,Wang, & Walberg, 1987). This proposed study seeks to compare the learning process and academic learning of the students in four classrooms: two from public schools that integrates ill and disabled students in the regular classroom and two from public schools that does not include ill and disabled students. The independent variable shall be the classrooms without ill and disabled students. The dependent variable shall be the classroom with ill and disabled students. Hypothesis             This proposed study shall test the following hypothesis: 1.      Using the result of the survey questionnaire, there is no significant relationship between performance of classrooms with ill and disabled students and those that does not include ill and disabled students 2.      Using the grades and state test scores of students, there is no significant  relationship between performance of classrooms with ill and disabled students and those that does not include ill and disabled students Definition of Terms: Inclusion: can be defined as the practice of serving students with a full range of abilities and disabilities in the general education classroom - with appropriate in-class support. Learning Disability (LD): A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, which may manifest in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations which adversely affect the student’s educational performance. Public Law (PL) 94-142 ,the Education for All Handicapped Children Act: To the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who do not have a disability, and that special classes, separate schools or other removal, from the regular education environment occurs only when the nature of severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactory. Regular Education: Instruction that is content-driven directed by a teacher who concerns him or herself with whole group instruction, record keeping and grades, and does not take into account any individual learning differences. Limitations of the Study The findings of this study cannot be generalized to other School systems. It is limited to the state of Arizona particularly in the High School level. Significance of the Study The information gathered from this study will public school administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, and others in determining whether exposure to an inclusion program benefits the student academically, socially, and from a family standpoint. Secondly, the data gained as a result of this study will be made  available to individuals and agencies for the purposes of evaluating and planning inclusion programs. Literature Review Several studies have shown that inclusion is a viable method of instruction for students with disabilities as well as for students without disabilities. Affleck, Madge, Adams, and Lowenbraun (1988) compared the performance of students without learning disabilities placed in integrated and mainstream education programs and reported no significant differences between the two groups, suggesting that normally achieving students are not adversely affected by being placed with students with LD. They concluded that the students in the integrated programs more often reduced inappropriate behaviors, increased communication skills, exhibited greater independence and engendered higher parental expectations. As evident by these various studies, the concept of inclusion enhances the education of students with and without disabling conditions. It promises to streamline the educational system and better allocate its most important resource, teachers. Yet, many if not most, of the schools have a long way to go before all students can enjoy the full benefits of inclusion. Research by Autin (1992) clearly establishes that integrated models improve the academic and social performance of all students. It also shows that comprehensive inclusion presents the best alternative to segregated special education, or exclusion. This system of exclusion finds its roots in the 1954 decision, Brown v. Board of Education, (Murphy, 1996) where a separate education was also considered unequal. The African American students were shortchanged; they were separated from the mainstream and were provided an inferior education that would prove harmful in their lives. That same concept, inequality, is paramount with regard to the inclusion movement. Students who are emotionally disturbed, physically challenged, visually impaired, and learning disabled are often excluded from the total school population. From the standpoint of legal history, the establishment of the basic concept that no child can be denied or excluded from a publicly supported education because of a handicap is expressed under the document Public Law (PL) 94-142, or the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) which mandated appropriate education for all students with disabilities. Public Law 94-142 recognized and supported this need for the education of students with disabilities in regular classroom settings, by creating a presumption in favor of educating children with handicaps in regular education environments (Danielson & Bellamy, 1989, p. 448). Students who are learning disabled may exhibit a wide range of traits, including poor reading comprehension, spoken language, writing and reasoning ability. Hyperactivity, inattention, and perceptual coordination problems may also be associated with LD, but are not examples of LD. Other traits that may be present include a variety of symptoms of brain dysfunction, including uneven and unpredictable test performance, perceptual impairments, motor disorders and emotional characteristics such as impulsiveness, low tolerance for frustration and maladjustment. One possible cause for the failure of many programs serving youth with serious emotional disturbance to promote increased integration may be that little research has been undertaken to isolate specific variables that promote integration or increase the likelihood that children with serious emotional disturbance will be reintegrated (Schneider & Byrne, 1984). Of the studies investigating the decision to mainstream children with serious emotional disturbance, the focus has typically been on (a) the behavior or academic achievement of the student or (b) the characteristics of the regular education (mainstream) teacher (Carran, Rock, and Rosenberg, 1994). Although the behavior of the child with serious emotional disturbance might logically be considered a major determinant in placement decisions, there is evidence to indicate that behavioral, social, interpersonal, and task-oriented skills are not being considered when reintegration decisions are made (Downing et al., 1990). Further, neither behavioral improvement nor academic achievement has been shown to differentiate students who were reintegrated from those who were not (Downing et al., 1990; Foley, Cullinan, & Epstein, 1990). Methodology This study will use the descriptive approach. This descriptive type of research will utilize interview, observation and questionnaires in the study.  To illustrate the descriptive type of research, the researcher will be guided by Creswell (1994) when he stated: “Descriptive method of research is to gather information about the present existing condition.  The purpose of employing this method is to describe the nature of a situation as it exists at the time of the study and to explore the cause/s of a particular phenomena. The research described in this document is based solely on quantitative research methods. This permits a flexible and iterative approach. During data gathering the choice and design of methods are constantly modified, based on ongoing analysis. This allows investigation of important new issues and questions as they arise, and allows the investigators to drop unproductive areas of research from the original research plan. This proposed study basically intends to investigate the effects of including ill and disabled students in public school classrooms in Tucson in terms of the academic achievements and development of the ill and disabled students and the regular students. This shall be compared to classrooms which do not have ill and disabled students. The effects of inclusion of ill and disabled students shall be monitored using two classrooms in Tucson whereas two classrooms in the same year level shall also be monitored using a public school which does not accept ill and disabled students. The academic performance of students shall also be based on the grades of the students. In assessing the relationship of mainstreaming in public schools- the following variables shall be tested. The independent variable shall be the classrooms without ill and disabled students. The dependent variable shall be the classroom with ill and disabled students.             The primary source of data will come from a survey questionnaire which has already been used in previous researches which will be given to the respondents. This will be used instead of a research-made questionnaire in order to ensure that the questionnaire is properly validated and highly reliable. The respondents of this study will be from four public schools in Arizona; two classrooms which integrates ill and disabled students and two classrooms which does not include ill and disabled students. The academic records of the students shall be evaluated including state-wide examination results. This data will be asked from the teachers and the school administrators. Moreover, interviews shall also be conducted on the classroom teachers of the students and the school administrators. The teachers will also be asked to assess the students based on groupings the ill and disabled and the regular students.             The secondary sources of data will come from published articles from education and psychology journals, theses and related studies on educational psychology. For this research design, the researcher will gather data, collate published studies from different local and foreign universities and articles from social science journals, distribute sampling questionnaires; arrange interviews; and make a content analysis of the collected documentary and verbal material.  Afterwards, the researcher will summarize all the information, make a conclusion based on the null hypotheses posited and provide insightful recommendations on the dealing with the debate on the inclusion or exclusion of ill and disabled students in public schools.  Validation of the Instrument Since this proposed study shall be using a standardized survey questionnaire, the validity and the reliability of the instrument to a certain degree is already established. However, to double check the applicability of the instrument on students in Tucson, Arizona, the researcher will initially submit a survey questionnaire and after approval, the survey will be given to 12 students, three for each classroom. After the survey questionnaire will be answered, the researcher will ask the respondents for any suggestions or any necessary corrections to ensure further improvement and validity of the instrument.  The researcher will again examine the content of the survey questionnaire to find out the reliability of the instrument.  The researchers will exclude irrelevant questions and will change words that would be deemed difficult by the respondents, to much simpler terms. Administration of the Instrument The revised instrument will then be administered to the respondents of the study which will be chosen through a combination of cluster and random sampling.  The researcher will exclude the ten respondents who will be initially used for the validation of the instrument.  The researcher will also tally, score and tabulate all the relevant data in the survey questionnaire. The result of the interviews on the teachers and the school administrators shall be transcribed for validation purposes. After designing and validating the survey instruments, the researcher shall be inviting school systems and nonpublic schools to participate. First, school administrators shall complete a brief (one-page) information sheet reporting the total number of students who had been enrolled and the number of children reintegrated from their restrictive programs during the previous school year, indexed by each classroom teacher or case manager. Administrators shall also provide information on programmatic elements related to reintegration, such as reintegration procedures and options. Next, the classroom teachers of students with LD and Ill students in each participating schools shall complete a survey on personal background, program information, school reintegration practices, and opinions regarding reintegration. Data will be coded and analyzed using SPSS statistical software (SPSS, 1988). Statistical Treatment of Data When all the survey questionnaire will have been collected, the researcher will use statistics to analyze all the data. The statistics that will be used in this study shall be the frequencies and percentage for the demographic profile of the respondents; weighted mean and chi-square in determining the relationship of the demographic variables and the responses of the students on the questionnaire; a multiple regression analysis using ANOVA shall also be conducted in determining the significant relationships between variables. The researcher will be assisted by the SPSS in coming up with the statistical analysis for this study. Conclusion             The research faces three difficulties. First is the conduct and the administration of the survey and the cooperation of the school administrator, teachers and the students. In order to solve this problem, coordination among the actors in this research shall be cleared. Moreover, letters shall be distributed to several schools so that in case, one school declines, there will always be fallback. Second, the documents needed for this research (grades, test scores, personal backgrounds of the students) may not be readily provided by the teachers. Thus, it will be cleared in the beginning before the agreement of their participation on the documents and records needed in the study. Finally, the confidentiality of the school’s name, the teachers, administrators and the students may be requested and waived by the participants. A letter signifying the nondisclosure of names as requested by the participants shall be provided. References Affleck, J.Q., Madge, S., Adams, A., & Lowenbraun, S. (1988). Integrated classroom versus resource model: Academic viability and effectiveness. Exceptional Children, 54, 339-348.   Autin, D. (1992). Segregated and second rate: Special education in New York. (Report No. NCERI-RR-92-4). Long Island, NY: National Center on Educational Restructuring and Inclusion. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 357 573)   Carran, D., Rock, E. and Rosenberg, M. (1994) Variables affecting the reintegration rate of students with serious emotional disturbance. Exceptional Children, Vol. 61.   Cullinan, D., & Epstein, M. H. (1990). Academic and related functioning of mainstreamed and nonmainstreamed seriously emotionally disturbed students. Severe Behavior Disorders Monograph, 13, 80-89.   Danielson, E.C., & Bellamy, T. (1989). How we might achieve the radical reform of special education. Exceptional Children ,60, 441-450.   Downing, J. A., Simpson, R. L., and Myles, B. S. (1990). Regular and special educator perceptions of nonacademic skills needed by mainstreamed students with behavioral disorders and learning disabilities. Behavioral Disorders, 15(4), 217-226.   Gartner, A., & Lipsky, D.K. (1987). Beyond special education: Toward a quality system for all students. Harvard Educational Review, 57(4), 367-395.   Karagiannis, A., Stainback, W., & Stainback, S. (1996). Inclusion: A guide for educators. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.   Logan, K., Fiaz, E., Piperno, M., Rankin, D., MacFarland, A.,& Benjamin, K. (1994). How inclusion built a community of learners. Educational Leadership, 52(4), 42-44.   Murphy, D.M. (1996). Implications of inclusion for general and special education. The Elementary School Journal, 96(5), 469-480.   Reynolds, M.C., Wang, M.C., & Walberg, H.J. (1987). The necessary restructuring of special and regular education. Exceptional Children, 53(5), 391-398.   Schneider, B., & Byrne, B. M. (1984). Predictors of successful transition from self-contained special education to regular class settings. Psychology in the Schools, 21, 375-380.   Schnorr, R. (1990). Peter? He comes and goes....First graders perspectives on a part time mainstream student. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 15(4),231-240.   SPSS, Inc. (1988). SPSSX Version 3.1)   Stainback, S., & Stainback, W. (1992). Curriculum considerations for inclusive classrooms: Facilitating learning for all students. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company.   Taylor, P. (1992). Community. In E. Keeler & E. Lloyd (Eds.), Keywords in evolutionary biology (pp. 52-53). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.   Torgeson, S. (1982). Caught in the continuum: A critical analysis of the principle of the least restrictive environment. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 13, 41-53. 1

Research Proposal on Mainstreaming ill and Disabled Students into the Public School System

Mainstreaming Ill and Disabled Students into the Public School System Introduction The tension between exclusion and inclusion has be...

Stress in Juvenile Detention Officers

Stress in Juvenile Detention Officers   Research Problem             The research will investigate stress arising in the domain of work and family as reported by juvenile detention officers. The work-family interface has received little attention in workers such as detention officers in stress research, therefore the present study aims to investigate work and family stress among juvenile detention officers.   Statement of the Problem             The study will investigate self-reported stress among juvenile detention officers in the domain of work and family.   Purpose of the Study             The aim of the study is to (1) identify the major work and family stressors among juvenile detention officers; (2) identify the impacts of work and family stress on the job performance of juvenile detention officers; (3) identify the impacts of work and family stress on the family life of juvenile detention officers; and (4) explore the impacts that work and family stress have on each other.   Research Questions             The study aims to investigate on the issue of work and life stress among juvenile detention officers. It aims to answer the following questions: 1. What are the major work and family stressors among juvenile detention officers? 2. What are the impacts of work and family stressors on the job performance of juvenile detention officers? 3. What are the impacts of work and family stress on the family life of juvenile detention officers? 4. What are the impacts that work and family stress have on each other?   Rationale, Relevance and Significance of the Study             Stress is believed to be a part of human life. Adults suffer from stress. There are a plethora of studies that point at the workplace and the home as the primary sources of stress. As stress may arise both in the work and family domains, then it is logical to expect that stressors may have cumulative effect and that stress in the work environment may impact on stress in the home environment, and vice versa.             The present study will be of relevance and significance to detention facility managers and human resource departments as it may provide illumination of the various stressors that impact the performance of detention officers. It will be of considerable contribution to the area of Human Resource Management particularly Health and Safety as the study intends to investigate the impacts of stress on the family-life and work-life of detention officers.     Theoretical Framework             Work-family research have been divided into work-family conflict (work interfering with family) and family-work conflict (family interfering with work). Different types of spillover have been identified across the work and family domains: (a) negative spillover from work to family; (b) positive spillover from work to family; (c) negative spillover from family to work; and (d) positive spillover from family to work (Williams and Alliger 1994). The study will flow in the similar vein with the intention to discuss both work stress and family stress and investigate on spillover.   Research Design             The study will make use of qualitative research design. The qualitative research design often involves a merging together of various data collection strategies. It is flexible and elastic, capable of adjusting to what is being learned during the course of data collection. The qualitative research design tends to be holistic, striving for an understanding of the whole and it requires researchers to become intensely involved.             According to Newman and Benz (1998), a qualitative research involves an interpretative, naturalistic approach of the subject matter. Qualitative research is about studying things in their natural settings. A researcher conducting qualitative research attempts to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meaning people bring to them. Qualitative research involves different methods of gathering and collecting of empirical materials such as case study personal experience, introspective, life story, interview, observational, historical, interactions, and visual texts.   Data Collection Procedure             The primary mode of data collection is survey. The sample will be drawn from different juvenile detention facilities. The researchers will coordinate with the management of these detention facilities and will ask for permission to include detention officers in the study. Once the management gives permission, one of the researchers will attend a staff meeting where the purpose of the study will be explained and questionnaires will be distributed.   Analysis Procedure             In order to assess the perceived work and family stress among juvenile detention officers, The 10-item form of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (see appendix) by Cohen et al (1983) will be used. The PSS will be used to measure the degree to which situations in one’s life are perceived as stressful. Participants will be asked to indicate how often they felt or thought a certain way during the last month. Items will e answered using a 5-point scale ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (very often).               In order to investigate on the sources of work and family stress, the researchers will device two questions that will require the participants to rate sources of work and family stress on a scale of 0 (not stressful) to 7 (extremely stressful).  To explore specific stressors in the work and family  contexts, two open-ended questions will ask participants to indicate the greatest source of work stress and the greatest source of family stress that they had experiences during the last month.             In order to investigate on stress spillover, the researchers will include to questions asking participant to indicate the extent to which work stress impacted in home and the extent to which home stress impacted on work. These will be answered using a 0 (not at all) to 7 (very much) scale.   Limitations to the Study             One of the researchers’ perceived limitations of the study is the likelihood that the individuals who are experiencing more stress may not complete and return the questionnaire. Therefore, the levels of stress found may not be an accurate reflection of those in the intended population.             Another perceived limitation of the study is the use of self-report measure. Self-report measures are subject to problems of memory and language ambiguity. There is also a possibility of measurement biases, for example a participant may not report his work as being stressful for fear of such comments may affect their relationship with the management.     References Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., and Mermelstein, R. (1983). A Global Measure of Perceived Stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24, 385-396. Newman, I. and Benz, C. R. (1998). Qualitative-Quantitative Research Methodology: Exploring the Interactive Continuum. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Williams, K.J. and Alliger, G.M. (1994). Role Stressors, Mood Spillover, and Perceptions of Work-Family Conflict in Employed Parents. Academy of Management Journal, 37, 837-868.     Appendix

Stress in Juvenile Detention Officers

Stress in Juvenile Detention Officers Research Problem The research will investigate stress arising in the domain of wor...

China Hotels

INTRODUCTION Background of the Problem              In China, foreign and domestic hotels are one the country’s important economic source. People from all parts of the world visit China in order to see its famous foreign and domestic hotels and dine in its fine restaurants. In spite of the increasing popularity of China as an urban tourist destination, certain hotel business issues affect the influx of tourist and the revenue acquired from this business. The problem on competition for example, is one of the growing concerns of the foreign and domestic hotel business in China. In addition, customer satisfaction is one of the highly significant priorities in the business. Being the major source of tourism revenue, foreign and domestic hotel business owners in China are applying various strategies that will enhance the experience of visitors coming to the city.             One of the main issues relevant to the need of assessing service quality is the significant transitions that the foreign and domestic hotel business in China must undergo. One of the recognized changes in the hotel business of China was the transformation of its domestic and foreign hotels, where the once conventional hotels were converted into modernized ones. This transition implies the apparent increase of small firms providing tourism services at present, while the foreign and domestic hotel business used to be dominated by a few producers. In other words, the hotel owners in China now have a number of accesses to strategies and factors that amplify business competition. While this tendency has in many ways improved the overall state of foreign and domestic hotel business of the country, hotel owners also encounter difficulties to operate their businesses successfully, making the evaluation of service quality all the more essential. They have also stated that the competition in the domestic and foreign hotel business in China is augmented by new strategies introduced and implemented by various hotels. With the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) as well as other technological facilities, tourists have more options and control over they type of hotels they want to stay. Hence, with the present advancements, foreign and domestic hotel businesses in China are giving more importance to specialized and enhanced forms of services for tourists, especially the service quality of the restaurants in these hotels. Another issue that is related to the need for evaluating service quality is the tendency of consumer behavior to change drastically. This has been observed by several researchers. According to these researchers, the changes in the consumers’ cultural values are among the most influential factors that affect the foreign and domestic hotel business in China. The difference on how consumer responds to products or services given to them is significantly dependent on their cultural origins and values, which naturally affects visitor experience. There are a number of interconnected issues that falls under the foreign and domestic hotel businesses in China. Competition, new strategies and changing consumer trends are among these issues. The main focus however, is on the comparison of the service quality of the foreign and domestic hotels in China. One way of doing so is by means of assessing the visitors’ expectation and satisfaction. Enhancing the quality of foreign and domestic hotel services given to the customer or tourists naturally leads to satisfaction. This essential business element is highly significant in combating the problems and issues cited. Hence, consumer studies in the foreign and domestic hotel business of China are very important.             By means of evaluating service quality and visitor satisfaction, developing new strategies for tourist hotel facilities that will augment customer satisfaction in China can be done. China is a popular tourist destination. Nonetheless, tourism issues affect this industry in one way or another. The local government should then adopt strategies and methods that will prepare the country for tourism. The comparison of China’s foreign and domestic hotels’ service quality and visitor satisfaction will facilitate the achievement of this objective. In this proposal, focus will be given on the tourists’ expectation and satisfaction upon staying in the foreign and domestic hotels in China. Specifically, this proposed study will evaluate the different hotel features offered by the foreign and domestic hotels in China and determine the level of satisfaction among randomly selected tourists within the vicinity. In order to evaluate the service quality, the survey and interview method will be used. This particular study will be of significant value to the foreign and domestic hotel businesses in China as it will provide an overview of the current status of the foreign and domestic hotel industry in China as well as ways on how its foreign and domestic hotels may be enhanced. Statement of the Problem  The foreign and domestic hotel industry in China is placed in a highly competitive business environment. Various strategies and marketing means must then be employed by entrepreneurs in order to enhance the services they provide. China is among the most popular tourist destinations in the world. With the abundance of historical tourist spots and archaeological sites, China is one of the countries in the world with the highest number of visitors. Nonetheless, considering the changing consumer trends as well other tourism-related issues, China must apply ways on how to enhance its foreign and domestic hotel industry and increase tourists’ satisfactory experience. Studying service quality is then necessary for this issue. This study will then attempt to answer the following inquiries: <li class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #333333; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">How did China respond to the changing trends in the hotel industry? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #333333; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">How do tourists describe their experience upon staying in the foreign and domestic hotels in China in general? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #333333; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">What hotel features do they find most satisfying? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #333333; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">What hotel features in the hotels need improvement? </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="COLOR: #333333; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">In what ways can the facilities, features and services of the foreign and domestic hotels of China be improved? </li> REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The domestic and foreign hotel business is among the fastest growing economic sectors in China. In fact, the domestic and foreign hotel business by itself is recognized as multi-million dollar and still a progressing business in China. The domestic and foreign hotel business is among the major economic forces in the country as its enables growth and creation of job opportunities. The domestic and foreign hotel business has employed over a million workers who were distributed within various hotel establishments, totaling to revenue generation of billions of dollars. From these records, the domestic and foreign hotel business has indeed become one of the most competitive businesses in the world. Important changes in the understanding and management of the service quality of most domestic and foreign hotels have been developed in the past 10 to 15 years. Various researchers, practitioners and policymakers now acknowledge that service quality can be conceptualized from a functional perspective and that appropriate interventions involve the development of alternative measures to cope up. It was also noted that the establishment of a conducive restaurant environment for tourists to enjoy and relax have served effectively in lowering the prevalence of un-satisfaction among tourists. At present, this philosophical shift has extended to various settings, including China. Domestic and foreign hotel owners and entrepreneurs here have recognized that some tourists do not appreciate so much the quality of service that their hotels and restaurants offer. Hence, these tourists may have the tendency to shy away from visiting China and its other great cities because of this bad impression they have. For decades, researchers have tried to discover the elements of service quality among tourist establishments such as foreign and domestic hotels and restaurants. And while they might have been able to identify certain essential elements of service quality, they have yet to determine the elements that common tourists pay particular attention to. However, it has been shown that negligence of service quality produces consequences that foster bad impressions from tourists. Strong evidence suggests that service quality and its negligence engage in a reciprocal relationship that has a short and long term effect on the tourist’s future opinion regarding the service quality of tourist establishments. One of the criteria for identifying if a tourist establishment such as hotels is of high service quality is whether it has an impressive environment with fully operational facilities meant for the relaxation and enjoyment of the tourists and visitors. A deficit in basic services, as well as skills related to making the tourists and guests fully accommodated, significantly impairs a hotel’s ability to encourage more and more tourists to come over to their place. When compared to high quality serviced foreign and domestic hotels, low quality serviced foreign and domestic hotels have lower performance rates, lower income and are less likely to be known all over the place. As a consequence, low quality serviced hotels often experience a lifetime of problems in employment and publicity, and they are likely to become bankrupted even at a developmental stage.             Take for instance the various foreign and domestic hotel establishments in China having difficulty in adapting to the modern standards of service quality. At present, foreign and domestic hotel owners in China are facing an alarming acceleration in the occurrence of disruptive and challenging behaviors among tourists that seriously impede the performance and credibility of their hotels. Also, there has been a rapid increase in percentage of tourists who have failed to be impressed by the hotel and restaurant services of some domestic and foreign Chinese hotels. Unfortunately, many of today’s foreign and domestic hotels all over the world have both problems. Behaviors and tourist impressions such as lack of sanitation, boring environment and unfair tourist price accommodation rates have all been rampant nowadays. True enough, these problems are counterproductive towards the effective performance of foreign and domestic hotels. Serious impressions of tourists such as aggression, argumentativeness, and defiance are even more of a threat to these poorly serviced foreign and domestic hotels, yet common in countries which cannot afford to establish 5 star quality foreign and domestic hotels. Impressions and evaluations of tourists, both positive and negative, affect performance outcomes of hotels at the employee and management level. From a tourist perspective, tourists who displayed their un-satisfaction remarks in staying in poorly serviced foreign and domestic hotels had a 90% chance of not going back or staying again to the same hotel. They reported that such tourists begin to actively dislike the place itself and actually visit less that particular place. Continuing over years, these tourists are not likely to change their minds after a terrible experience staying on a poorly serviced hotel. Similarly, tourists exhibiting ongoing, serious bad impressions well even after so many years of that terrible experience are increasing. Service Quality  Service quality generally pertains to a tourist’s perception over a certain area or destination’s quality of services being offered. People of tourists tend to interpret the services in their surroundings without realizing it. This interpretation is based on the visitors’ needs and preferences that will allow them to function more efficiently. This makes up the visitor’s overall experience or perception. More recently, noted that service quality suggests awareness but not conscious awareness. The service quality is naturally enhanced when tourists could identify with specific environmental characteristics that they need or are important to them. Thus, the perception or experience in terms of service quality of the visitor is significantly related to the environment they wanted to be in. Service quality pertains to the degree of efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of the policies and tasks necessary to satisfy a firm's customers, employees, and management. Service quality focuses on the careful management of the processes involved in the production and distribution of products and services. More often than not, small firms and business establishments such as hotels and restaurants don't really have the capabilities to directly determine the quality of their services to their clients or customers. Instead, they engage in activities that various schools of management typically associate with service quality management. These activities include the inspection of their products, service development, production and distribution. However, service quality deals with all operations done within companies and organizations. Activities such as the management of purchases, the control of inventories, logistics and evaluations are often related with service quality. A great deal of emphasis lies on the efficiency and effectiveness of processes. Therefore, service quality includes the analysis and management of internal processes. With the increasing competition in the industry as well as the changes observed among consumers, studying service quality is essential not only to keep the industry successful and productive but most importantly to satisfy and meet the needs of the tourists. Specifically, most firms in the industry are applying various strategies on how to improve their services and enhance service quality. Several technologies are being applied by operators so as to take over with some of the businesses’ main activities. Computerized reservation systems for instance, are one of the known advancements in tourism. This in turn, helps in enhancing service quality as it offers them more options and allows a faster access to information.             While there are numerous efforts done to enhance service quality, researchers concluded that there are also several factors that influence service quality. The preferences, attitudes and perceptions of the visitors in terms of service quality are some of the important factors affecting service quality. Other researchers.  Also concluded that the perception on service impacts is also an influential factor of service quality. In general, the researchers noted that the satisfaction and un-satisfaction that tourists experience while using the services in various destinations affect their overall experience. Hence,  stated that this makes this factor a significant dictator or basis for developing standards of service or product quality. China and Hotel Improvement Efforts  China has long been an ancient destination of many tourists from all over the world, who are very eager to see the city’s famed museums and historical sites, especially the Great Wall. During the early times however, a number of problems in tourism has been encountered by China. Pollution, overcrowding and poor domestic and foreign hotel infrastructures are among the country’s major concerns that affected its image among tourists. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the social amenities and hotel infrastructures in China have gone through significant changes. Funds and financial support from both UK and the European Union have made it possible for the nation to establish foreign and domestic hotels such as Beijing hotel and the Grand Hyatt Beijing hotel. The Metro system was also expanded massively. Other private investments also led to the great expansion of hotels and other tourist sites. One of the major developments that China had gone through in terms of tourism was the remodeling of their foreign and domestic hotels. In addition, a great pedestrian area was also constructed. These pedestrian areas are highly beneficial for tourists as these allow them to appreciate the country’s hotel infrastructures while walking calmly along paths of trees. Aside from the developments done for China’s foreign and domestic hotels, some of its major theatres and art galleries that house the world’s most precious artworks have also been renovated. Other famous tourist destinations in the country, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, have also been extensively transformed to resemble their original state for the pleasure and satisfaction of their tourists and visitors worldwide. China and Service Quality It appears that most of the country’s efforts for service quality development had led to great results based on the number of tourists that visited the country during the past couple of years. In one article, China has been described as a country that is busier than ever. Yet, in spite of the crowd, the newly-built foreign and domestic hotels have been helpful in accommodating the great number of visitors that came to the city. As a result, overcrowding of tourists has been prevented during this time, benefiting both Chinese residents and visitors. The article also stated that the energy perceived in the country is good and amazing. This perhaps is attributable to the fact that every tourist in the country felt that they are part of a family; hence, every tourist encountered is genuinely happy to be in China.             Some write ups however had commented on China’s spot security personnel on some foreign and domestic hotels and described the hotels as an army camp. The article author pointed out that in spite of their number, the security personnel do not really hinder tourists or visitors from appreciating the country. In addition, China at that time was without a doubt a country of hope and joy; it has definitely been a worthwhile experience for visitors from all over. The author described his experiences in China’s tourist destinations. In general, the author saw China as a historical country edging towards contemporary backgrounds. Though China and its significant foreign and domestic hotels are important tourist destinations, the pollution and overcrowding appear to be a disadvantage. In spite of these problems, trekking through the country’s remarkable foreign and domestic hotels was truly a worthwhile experience. Staying at the foreign and domestic hotels for instance was an exciting experience for the author as it was just like visiting the downtown sceneries. Though hotels offer different scenic views and environment, the impression of excellence can be perceived. According to the author, staying at the foreign and domestic hotels resulted to excellent visitor experience; some facilities offer less elegance, while others are interesting and influential.             Described how his trip to the foreign and domestic hotels in China was similar to the foreign and domestic hotels in America. The area was very busy and going to this place was tiring. However, once the author reached the hotels, the trip was all worth it. McHenry noted that the foreign and domestic hotels in China were different from all others found within America as it highlighted modern facilities in designated rooms. The artworks inside the hotels were more than a place displaying antiquities as treasure of great tastes were exhibited and made available for inspection. The foreign and domestic hotels were also an inviting tourist location with its great sights, food and shops. This, according to McHenry, was one of the main reasons for tourists to come visit China over and over again. During the author’s visit to China, the country was busy preparing itself for hosting the coming Olympic Games in 2008. Thus, he was able to witness the considerable effort China had done to enhance the country’s hotels, transport systems and roadways. Through this experience, the author no longer doubted how China was greatly spearheaded by tourism. There have been literatures describing visitor experience regarding service quality to various tourist destinations. However, studies of service quality in China are apparently insufficient. This further stresses the need to evaluate the perception of the country’s visitors so as to help enhance its existing foreign and domestic hotels and overcome various tourism issues. Service Quality in relation to Customer Satisfaction and Needs Gone are the days when employees work on their desks for eight hours a day. Today’s employees want to become as productive as possible while in their offices and interact with different individuals and groups in different settings. The technological advancement in wireless technologies has allowed workers and employees to access communication tools in new settings. Because of this rigorous and hectic schedule of employees, it became imperative for them to indulge in relaxing products and services to help them ease the pressure after every day’s work. Foreign and Domestic Hotel Service Quality Service quality among foreign and domestic hotels can be subdivided into three main categories. These are: A. Convenience A particular foreign and domestic hotel’s dedication to service quality can easily lead to the satisfaction of its customers in whatever place it is located. Making a particular foreign and domestic hotel convenient to its customers and visitors is not an easy task, and credit must be given to the management who always pursue the best service quality and craftsmanship in the name of convenience. B. Health / Safety / Sanitation The raw materials and ingredients that are used in the production of beverages and other delicacies must be able to meet the high quality standards and specifications. Even the packaging materials must be also subjected to strict quality standards. In line to the hotel’s policies in food and product safety, appropriate measures must be taken in the preparation of all food and drinks to prevent the possible contamination. Hotels must also implement the principles of the HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) system in order to show their testament to their dedication to service quality. The food and beverages that their customers eat and drink must be prepared using nothing but the original and unparalleled recipes. To achieve a sweet taste, fresh aroma, bright color and clarity, only the purest ingredients must be used. C. Affordability of Services Normally, foreign and domestic hotels base their pricing strategies on several key trends that continuously shape the global marketplace of the foreign and domestic hotel industry. One particular trend is labeled as “premium-tization”. This phenomenon causes the polarization of different markets. This would then trigger the consumers to demand and pay much higher prices for perceived service quality. However, discounting in prices is also simultaneously taking place, therefore squeezing out the middle range. More often than not, hotels and restaurants undergo internationalization which leads to a tighter squeeze for shelf space. This will in turn leave them as winners. It is for this reason why most foreign and domestic hotels value the “premise sector” so much because this would allow consumers can to try their services at low risk and price. MEASURING SERVICE QUALITY A. “Consumer Understanding” The occurrence of consumer research to determine service quality within the economy reflects the growing difficulty in the management of foreign and domestic hotels that require the effective use of valuable resources such as money, materials, equipments, and people. This is the reason why consumer research is being done by most foreign and domestic hotels in order to determine the most effective ways to coordinate these resources through the application of analytical methods derived from fields of studies such as mathematics, science, and engineering. Through this process, problems are solved in different ways and alternative solutions are then relayed to the hotel’s management. The management then selects the appropriate course of action in line with their goals. More often than not, consumer research analysis in foreign and domestic hotels are concerned with complicated issues such as top-level strategy in attracting more customers, hotel resource allocation, designing of hotel facilities and systems, pricing and the analysis of goods and services. B. Balanced Scorecard The balanced scorecard is a strategic management system that allows foreign and domestic hotels to clearly establish and follow their goals and business strategies and put them into action. This approach also enables the foreign and domestic hotels to issue feedbacks around both the internal business processes and external outcomes, and this undoubtedly will help the hotels on their drive to continuously improve in terms of its strategic performance and results. When appropriately implemented, the balanced scorecard will be able to develop strategic planning into the brains of the hotels. The balanced scorecard approach is based on integral concepts of past management ideas such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and measurement-based management and feedback. The balanced scorecard integrates feedback within internal business process outputs, just like in TQM. The only difference is the existence of an additional feedback loop around the results of business strategies. C. Customer Satisfaction A major factor involved in the improvement of foreign and domestic hotels involves the establishment and utilization of performance measures or indicators that in turn measure their customer’s satisfaction. These measures or indicators are measurable characteristics of products and services that foreign and domestic hotels typically utilize in order to study and improve their performance. The indicators that will be chosen should be able to represent the essential factors that are crucial to the improvement of operational and financial performance. Through the analysis of accurate information brought about by the tracking processes, the measures or indicators themselves can possibly be analyzed and improved to support such goals.

China Hotels

INTRODUCTION Background of the Problem In China, foreign and domestic hotels are one the country’s import...

Research Proposal on The Effect of Training Grade Eight Students on the Algebraic Problems: Solving Strategy on Their Ability to Solve Other Mathematical Problems and Learning Retaining

The Effect of Training Grade Eight Students on the Algebraic Problems:  Solving Strategy on Their Ability to Solve Other Mathematical Problems and Learning Retaining   Introduction Students in algebra classes face many difficulties. Among them are an inability to apply algorithmic knowledge to novel problems, poor arithmetic skills, and difficulty with the abstract content associated with higher-level mathematics. With this in mind, I have explored some of the research on the algebra performance of students with disabilities and reasons for their difficulties. In addition, we discuss pedagogical practices that best serve students with learning disabilities in algebra.   Problem representation strategies are needed to process linguistic and numerical information, comprehend and integrate the information, form internal representations in memory, and develop solution plans (Silver, 1985). These strategies facilitate translating and transforming problem information into problem structures or descriptions that are verbal, graphic, symbolic, and/or quantitative in nature (Janvier, 1987; Mayer, 1985). These verbal and visual representations in turn assist in organizing and integrating problem information as the problem solver develops a logical solution plan. Specific problem representation strategies include (a) paraphrasing or restating problems in one's own words; (b) visualizing problems by drawing pictures, constructing diagrams or charts, and making mental images; and (c) hypothesizing or establishing goals and setting up a plan to solve the problem.   Research has also suggested that academic performance may be influenced not only by cognitive factors such as ability to represent problems, but also by noncognitive factors, for example, self-perceptions of ability or academic competence and perceptions of task difficulty (Heath, 1996; Montague, 1997). Students' self-perceptions may directly influence how they approach a task and the amount of effort they put forth.   Partially in response to previous research, developmental educators began to question traditional methods of teaching mathematics (Hackworth, 1994), and to experiment with other instructional techniques (Ahmed, Barks, & Dolega, 1996; Higbee & Thomas, 1999;), including strategies for reading math texts (Campbell, Schlumberger, & Pate, 1997), writing assignments (Williams, 1995), studying word problems (Dooley & Sundeen, 1997), testing (Glover, 1995), and grading (Mollise & Matthews, 1996). Many developmental mathematics educators began to shift from predominantly lecture to a more collaborative learning environment (Higbee & Thomas, 1998).   The difficulty with symbolic reasoning can be heightened when teachers introduce algebra concepts that are more difficult than arithmetic instruction. According to some researchers, educators need to attend to the following instructional techniques to help students make connections between arithmetic to algebra and understand algebraic notation (Brownell, Smith, and Witzel, 2001). Although it is easy for experts to advocate for the use of explicit, relevant math instruction, it is difficult for teachers to do. One possible way to make instruction relevant and use explicit instruction is to provide students with hands-on experiences. Hands-on experiences allow students to understand how numerical symbols and abstract equations are operating at a concrete level, making the information more accessible to all students (Devlin, 2000; Maccini & Gagnon, 2000).   Problems of mathematics underachievement are greatest for students with mild disabilities and those at risk for mathematics failure (Parmar, Cawley, & Frazita, 1996). Specifically, word-problem solving is difficult for mathematics students who evidence problems in reading, computation, or both (Dunlap, 1982). As a result, some of these students reportedly spend more than one third of their resource room time studying mathematics (Carpenter, 1985).   The importance of providing quality word-problem-solving instruction for students with mild disabilities and at-risk students is clear. Although mathematics instruction in general, and word-problem solving in particular, has not received as much in-depth study and analysis as reading (Bender, 1992), a reasonable number of mathematics word-problem-solving intervention studies with samples of students with learning problems is now available. A recent narrative review of word-problem-solving research (Jitendra & Xin, 1997) provided information of practical importance but was limited by its reliance on published studies only, and by a lack of quantitative techniques for analyzing the magnitude of intervention effectiveness.   In this proposed study, I shall investigate several variables that may influence the mathematical problem solving of eight grade students. These included perceptions of problem difficulty, problem-solving accuracy, persistence as measured by time taken to solve the problems, use of problem-solving strategies, and problem-solving method (silent problem solving versus thinking aloud). I propose that enabling the students to adopt a learning strategy on algebra and how they perceive the mathematical problems will result to lesser time in solving problems, get more correct answers, and use more problem-representation strategies.   Background of the Problem Mathematics is very sensational for each person. It would be very difficult to live normal life in very many parts of the world in 21st century without making use of mathematics of some kind.   Beginning algebra students are required to move from arithmetic thinking to algebraic thinking. This transition is believed to involve a move from knowledge required to solve arithmetic equation  to knowledge required to solve algebraic equation. This transition is referred to as pre-algebraic thinking, the cognitive gab or didactic cut between arithmetic and algebra  (1997;Boulton-Lewis, Cooper, Atweh, Pillay and Wilss, 1998;Boulton-Lewis, Cooper, Pillay and Wilss, 1998).   Algebra can be thought of many ways, as pattern, functions and relation, as language, representations and structures based on generalised arithmetic, or as a tool for modelling mathematical ideas and problems” National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1998.p221)   Students face difficulty in solving mathematical word problems in general and Algebraic word problem solving in particular (Batler1976). Many capable Australian students experience difficulties with school algebra (Pegg and Hadfield, 1999).   Developing a strategy to problem solving may contribute to enhance the scientific approach among students to solve their problems and to choose the appropriate method to solve any problem (Scandura.1978, Wheatley, 1980).   Teaching students how to solve algebraic word problems is the most difficult task that faces mathematic Teachers (Batler, 1970). One of the most important goals for teaching mathematics is to train students to use some strategy to problem solving and to get feedback how this will reflect the improvement in solving other mathematical problems (NCSM 1988).   Many previous studies have searched for strategies to teach algebraic problem solving and the influence on student’s ability to solve mathematical word problems (Christian, 1985,Perez, 1986). This research will try to develop a strategy to teach algebraic problem solving and apply it on year eight. This study will determine the effects of these strategies on students’ performance and achievement and it can lead to designing better strategies. Conceptual Framework This proposed study shall utilize the concrete to representational to abstract (CRA) method in testing the student’s ability to solve algebraic problems and in enhancing the algebra education of grade eight students as proposed by Mercer and miller (1994, 1997). A highly touted instructional method for students with disabilities is the concrete to representational to abstract (CRA) sequence of instruction, which incorporates the use of hands-on materials and pictorial representations. The CRA method facilitates abstract reasoning by moving students through three phases of instruction: concrete, representational, and abstract. The concrete phase involves manipulatives, such as toothpicks for counting. The representational phase uses pictures, such as tally marks. Pictorial representations relate directly to the manipulatives and set up the student to solve numeric problems without pictures. Matching pictorial representations to abstract problems, such as using tally marks to solve multiplication problems helps students understand the abstract concept of multiplication.   Students learning basic mathematics facts using the CRA sequence of instruction show improvements in acquisition and retention of mathematics concepts (Miller & Mercer, 1993). This CRA sequence of instruction, although successful for basic facts, can tie directly to algebra when the materials match up specifically with each component to algebra equations. For basic algebra, it is important to include aids to represent arithmetic processes, as well as physical and pictorial materials to represent unknowns (Miller and Mercer, 1997).   Hypothesis             This proposed study shall test the following hypothesis: 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	Training positively affects the strategy 	formulation and retention of 8th grade students in solving 	algebraic and geometric word problems</li> 	<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%"> 	There is no significant difference in the 	effects of training on gender</li>   Statement of the Problem The purpose of this study is to explore grade eight students' perceptions of problem difficulty, persistence, and knowledge and use of problem-solving strategies in solving mathematical word problems in algebra. This shall be the basis of the proposed strategy that shall be developed and tested in this research using 8th grade students. Specifically, the following research questions shall be addressed: 1.    What are the levels of capability of 8th grade students in terms of their knowledge on equivalent equations and their identification of other known equations? 2.    What is the degree of comprehension of 8th grade students in solving simple to complex equations? 3.    What is the degree of competence of 8th grade students in solving word problems? 4.    How effective is training in their skills in developing strategy problem solving and retention in solving algebraic word problem and geometric word problem? 5.    Is there a variation of the result on the students’ gender?   Research Objectives         Given the relevance of problem solving in today's technologically advanced society, Patton, Cronin, Bassett, and Koppel (1997) recommended teaching students with learning problems to be proficient problem solvers in dealing with everyday situations and work settings. This proposed study seeks to contribute in this literature by first outlining the problems of 8th grade students in algebra and propose a strategy of word problem and retention in solving the problem in algebra deficiency. Specifically, I aim to accomplish the following tasks: 1.    to determine the areas of weakness of 8th grade students in algebra specifically in simple and complex equations 2.    to illustrate the degree of proficiency of 8th grade students in solving word problems 3.    to evaluate the effects of training in the proficiency and retention of knowledge of 8th grade students in terms of solving algebra and geometric word problems 4.    to evaluate the effects of training on the strategy formulation and retention of 8th grade students based on the students’ gender 5.    to recommend a strategy and approach in improving the algebra and geometric skills of 8th grade students   Significance of the Study Previous research indicates that despite a positive attitude toward mathematics, students with are significantly poorer mathematical problem (Montague & Applegate, 1993). Research also suggests that most students have strategy deficiencies that may be related to poor academic performance (e.g., Swanson, 1990). For mathematical problem solving, the most salient deficiency seems to be in problem representation processes and strategies, which are critical to effective problem solving (Hutchinson, 1993; Zawaiza & Gerber, 1993). This proposed seeks to contribute to the literature by conducting a study involving 8th grade students by assessing their problems in algebra, evaluating their degree of competence in word problems both in algebra and geometry and in their mastery of simple and complex equations and how they relate to each other. Furthermore, by examining the effects of training on the students, I aim to validate the claim by researchers that training can improve the strategy formulation and retention of knowledge of students. Ultimately, I shall be recommending a strategy of training that shall bridge the gap between the gap in students’ knowledge and skills in algebra. Scope and Limitations of the Study             This study concerns 8th grade students in a given school. The sample shall be limited to one school and approximately 60 students due to time and financial constraints. Furthermore, only one training program shall be tested. Due to ethical issues, the names of those involved in the study shall be kept confidential. Only when their permission is granted will I divulge personal statements and information. This is in relation to the ethical considerations I apply as a researcher.   Definition of Terms   algebra Any formal mathematical system consisting of a set of objects and operations on those objects. Examples are Boolean algebra, numerical algebra, set algebra and matrix algebra.   algebraic equation An equation of the form f(x)=0 where f is a polynomial.   algebraic number A number that is the root of an algebraic polynomial. For example, sqrt(2) is an algebraic number because it is a solution of the equation x2=2.   algebraic expression the variable represents values of a quantity that can vary. We need to define what the variable represents.   word problem             Refers to algebra problems expressed in words instead of in numbers   References Batler and Wern and Bank -   The Teaching of Secondary Mathematics.;  New York, McGraw-Hill,  5th Edition,  1970.   Bender, W. (1992). Learning disabilities: Characteristics, identification, and teaching strategies. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.   Brownell, M., Smith, S. and Witzel, B. (2001) How can I help students with learning disabilities in algebra? Intervention in School & Clinic, Vol. 37.   Campbell, A. E., Schlumberger, A., & Pate, L. A. (1997). Promoting reading strategies for developmental mathematics textbooks. Selected Conference Papers, National Association for Developmental Association, 3, 4-6   Christian, W.Acomparison of the effectiveness of three strategies for the teaching word proplems at the intermediate algebra level to college students. DAI, vo. 45 No.9, 1985 , p. 2790-A.   Cooney , Davis and Handerson  Dynamics of Teaching Secondary School Mathematics;  Houghton Mifflin, 1975.   Devlin, K. (2000). Finding your inner mathematician. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 46, B5.   Dooley, J. L., & Sundeen, T. R. (1997). Facilitating word problems effectively and enjoyably: Can it happen? Selected Conference Papers, National Association for Developmental Education, 3, 17-18.   Hackworth, R. (1994). Teaching mathematics effectively. In M Maxwell (Ed.), From access to success (pp.243-251). Clearwater, FL: H & H.   Heath, N. (1996). The emotional domain: Self-concept and depression in children with learning disabilities. In T.E. Scruggs & M.A. Mastropieri (Eds.), Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (Vol. 10, Part A, pp. 47-76). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.   Higbee, J. L., & Thomas, P. V. (1998). Daily brainteasers: Promoting collaboration, persistence, and critical and creative thinking. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 2(4), 20-23.   Higbee, J. L., & Thomas, P. V. (1999). Affective and cognitive factors related to mathematics achievement. Journal of Developmental Education, 23(1), 8-10,12, 14, 16, 32.   Hudgins, B.  Problem Solving in the Classroom;  New York,  The Macmillon Company,  fourth printing,  1968   Hutchinson, N. (1993). Effects of cognitive strategy instruction on algebra problem solving of adolescents with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 16, 34-63.   Janvier, C. (1987). Problems of representation in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.   Jitendra, A. K., & Xin, Y. (1997). Mathematical word-problem-solving instruction for students with mild disabilities and students at risk for math failure: A research synthesis. The Journal of Special Education, 30, 412-438.   Krulik. S  and  Rudnick. J Problem Solving   Second Edition, Boston, London, Sydney, Toronto, 1987   Mayer, R.E. (1985). Mathematical ability. In R.J. Sternberg (Ed.), Human abilities: Information processing approach (pp. 127-150). San Francisco, CA: Freeman.   Miller, S. P., & Mercer, C. D. (1993). Using data to learn about concrete-semiconcrete-abstract instruction for students with math disabilities. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 8(2), 89-96.   Miller, S. P., & Mercer, C. D. (1997). Educational aspects of mathe-matics disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30(1), 47-56. National Center on Educational Statistics. (1996). National assessment of educational progress: Graduation requirements for math. Washington, DC: NCES.   Montague, M. (1997). Student perceptions, mathematical problem solving, and learning disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 18, 21-30.   National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM Newsletter,June 1988,Vol. XVII,No 4)   Parmar, R. S., Cawley, J. F., & Frazita, R. R. (1996). Word problem-solving by students with and without mild disabilities. Exceptional Children, 62, 431-450.   Patton, J. R., Cronin, M. E., Bassett, D. S., & Koppel, A. E. (1997). A life skills approach to mathematics instruction: Preparing students with learning disabilities for the real-life math demands of adulthood. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30, 178-187.   Polya, G.     Mathematical Discovery of Understanding Problem Solving.    New YOrk,  Jowiley,  1965   Scandura. J   Problem SolvingAstructural Process Approach with Instructional     Implicaation.;   Academic  press,  New York,  1977.   Silver, E.A. (1985). Research on teaching mathematical problem solving: Some underrepresented themes and needed directions. In E.A. Silver (Ed.), Teaching and learning mathematical problem solving: Multiple research perspectives (pp. 247-266). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.   Williams, A. C. (1995). Connecting mathematics to the students' world: A writing assignment. Selected Conference Papers, National Association for Developmental Education, 1, 41-42.   Zawaiza, T., & Gerber, M. (1993). Effects of explicit instruction on math word problem solving by community college students with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Quarterly, 16, 64-79.     Other Useful References Hiebert, J., & Carpenter, T. P. (1992). Learning and teaching mathematics with understanding. In D.A. Grouws (Ed.), Handbook of research in mathematics teaching and learning (pp 65-97). New York: Macmillan. There is a chapter on Algebra and Geometry as well.   Lawson, M. J. (1991). Testing for transfer following strategy training. In G. Evans (Ed.), Learning and teaching cognitive skills. Hawthorn, Victoria: The Australian Council for Educational Research.   Lesh, R. (1985). Conceptual analyses of problem-solving performance. In E.Silver (Ed.), Teaching and Learning Mathematical Problem Solving: Multiple Research Perspective  (pp. 309-329). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.   Novick, L. R., & Holyoak, K. J. (1991). Mathematical problem solving by analogy. Journal of Experimental Research: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 17, 398-416.   Owen, E., & Sweller, J. (1985). What do students learn while solving mathematics problems? Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, 272-284.   Schoenfeld, A. H. (1985). Mathematical problem solving. New York: Academic Press.   Skemp, R.R. (1971). The psychology of learning mathematics. Penguin: Middlesex.     Appendix 1. TIMETABLE 	 		 		 		TASK 		 		Month 		 	 	 		 		 		  		 		 		1st 		 		 		2nd 		 		 		3rd 		 		 		4th 		 		 		5th 		 		 		6th 		 		 		7th 		 		 		8th 		 		 		9th 	 	 		 		 		Select topic 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Undertake preliminary literature search 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			Define 			research questions</li> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Write-up aims and objectives</li> 		</ul> 		 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Select appropriate methodology and 		locate sources of information. Confirm access. 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Write-up Dissertation Plan 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Undertake and write-up draft critical 		literature review. 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Secondary and Primary Data Detailed 		<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Sources</li> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Consulted</li> 		</ul> 		 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Research Findings: 		<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Analysed</li> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Evaluated</li> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Written-up</li> 		</ul> 		 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Discussion: 		<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Research findings evaluated and discussed in relation to the 			literature review</li> 		</ul> 		 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Methodology 		written-up 		 		(including limitations and constraints) 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Main body of the report 		written-up and checked for logical structure 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		<ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in" type="disc"> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Conclusions drawn</li> 			<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> 			 			Recommendations made</li> 		</ul> 		 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Introduction and Executive Summary 		written-up 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Final format and indexing 		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  		 		 		  	 	 		 		 		Print

Research Proposal on The Effect of Training Grade Eight Students on the Algebraic Problems: Solving Strategy on Their Ability to Solve Other Mathematical Problems and Learning Retaining

The Effect of Training Grade Eight Students on the Algebraic Problems: Solving Strategy on Their Ability to Solve Other Mathematical Pro...