Advisor
Harding-Dekam, Jennifer L.
Advisor
Fertig, Gary
Committee Member
Lawrence, Jody K.
Committee Member
Lahmanm, Maria K. E.
Department
Educational Studies
Institution
University of Northern Colorado
Type of Resources
Text
Place of Publication
Greeley (Colo.)
Publisher
University of Northern Colorado
Date Created
5-1-2011
Genre
Thesis
Extent
252 pages
Digital Origin
Born digital
Description
Students' academic self-concepts have a reciprocal relationship with their academic performance, so high academic self-concepts are desirable. Yet, academic self-concepts typically decline during the late elementary and early middle school years. Little is known about how students' academic self-concepts are influenced to change. Fifth and sixth grade students' academic self-concepts in writing were examined through a two-phase, sequential, explanatory, complementary (or mixed) methods research design to explore how academic self-concepts in writing change. Phase one was a quantitative survey that measured fifth and sixth grade students' self-concepts in writing. Findings from this phase indicated that students generally hold slightly positive self-concepts as writers. Also, statistical analysis suggested that the Self-concept and Change Survey was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring self-concept in writing. Phase two was a case study of four children, two fifth grade students and two sixth grade students, who reported positive change in their self-concepts as writers. Data collection over four months included observations of ten fifth and sixth grade classrooms during writing instruction; interviews of four student participants, seven teachers, six administrators, and three parents; and participant-developed multimedia narratives. Findings within the case study showed that students perceived barriers to their writing competence and, as they found ways to overcome the barriers, experienced positive turning points in their writing self-concepts. Turning points consisted of a series of critical events, including a negative critical event, an initial positive critical event, and a final critical event that completed the turning point. Participants described their turning points through multimedia narratives. These turning points from negative to positive self-concepts in writing were not visible to influential adults and did not appear to result in external improvements in writing skills.
Degree type
EdD
Degree Name
Doctoral
Language
English
Local Identifiers
Hamilton_unco_0161D_10062.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by author.
