Date of Award

5-1979

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

First Advisor

John McClusky

Second Advisor

William Baillio

Abstract

This thesis investigates the emotional, psychological, and physical factors found within three distinct fifth-grade classroom environments. The study aims to observe and interpret the differences and similarities between three specific educational models: the "Traditional Classroom," characterized by teacher-directed instruction and subject mastery; the "Transitional Classroom," which acknowledges student responsibility but remains largely formal and teacher-oriented; and the "Open Classroom," which promotes active student involvement and decision-making. Central to this study is the author's definition of curriculum as a continuous social process that aids student awareness and personal growth, rather than strictly an academic process.

The research methodology utilized a self-designed "Student Self-Concept Questionnaire" administered to students in the Riverview Gardens School District to evaluate attitudes and perceptions. The study employs a "Transactional Evaluation" approach, focusing on the system and role relationships rather than using a control group.

The data analysis indicates distinct variances in student self-concepts based on classroom type. In the "Emotional Analysis," the Open Classroom yielded the highest mean score, suggesting these students possess stronger emotional self-confidence. Similarly, the "Psychological Analysis" showed that students in the Open Classroom scored significantly higher in self-actualization and understanding than those in Traditional or Transitional settings. In contrast, the "Physical Analysis" revealed little difference, as students in all three models responded positively to a setting conducive to discovery learning through instructional aids. The author concludes that the Open Classroom best fosters a learning climate that promotes independent thinking and the development of a healthy, positive self-concept.

Research Highlights

  • The Problem: The study investigates the specific impact of Traditional, Transitional, and Open classroom models on the emotional, psychological, and physical self-concepts of fifth-grade students. 

  • The Method: The researcher administered a custom Student Self-Concept Questionnaire to 70 students across three distinct classroom types in the Riverview Gardens School District to quantify self-perception trends. 

  • Quantitative Finding: The Open Classroom group achieved the highest mean scores in Emotional Analysis (46.66) and Psychological Analysis (62.91), significantly outperforming the Traditional (42.50 Emotional; 56.86 Psychological) and Transitional (43.60 Emotional; 55.82 Psychological) groups. 

  • Qualitative Finding: The data indicates that Open Classrooms foster stronger positive self-concepts and emotional stability, whereas Traditional and Transitional classrooms produced statistically similar, lower results regarding student potentiality and self-regard.

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