Measuring Student Involvement
Adaptation of the ten category system of measuring the
involvement of an individual in a sports crowd setting provided the means by
which student involvement in class activities could be measured. This revised
instrument, called IRG II, was developed in conjunction with a series of
residential field experiences. The problem of this study was to measure the
degree of student involvement in a residential field experience where the
students were integrated by sex and race. The subject matter was human movement
activities. Not only was the setting and curriculum unique, but the population
consisted of 141 fifth graders from urban Boston public schools and 143 eighth
graders from the semi-rural and all white, middle class district of Derry, New
Hampshire.
Six observers recorded involvement levels of the
population participating in a Sensitivity or Nature Hike, Drama, Zip Line,
Orienteering, Scientific Investigation and Arts and Crafts. With an overall
reliability coefficient of 79.3%, differences were found between the two age
groups in all components, but the patterns of involvement were similar. The
IRG II was used to validate the program objective of
providing stimulating and challenging activities for children from different
backgrounds with an integrative human movement curriculum. This study proved
the value of IRG II in that it was relatively simple to report behavioral involvement
amongst students functioning in disparate learning settings. Quantitative data
was collected which was used to discriminate program components for valid
comparisons of program evaluation.
Effects of Horizontal and Vertical Models of Teaching
on the Development of Motor Ability, Self-Concept and Involvement Levels of
Kindergarten Children,
with regard to Movement Education