Debunking the Semestering Myth
Keywords:
semester organization, secondary education, mathematics, student attitudes, teacher experienceAbstract
Advantages claimed for semester organization of secondary schools were examined using data from a probability sample of 250 mathematics classrooms in 80 Ontario schools. Achievement and attitude data were collected from 5280 students in the course of the Second International Mathematics Study, and it was determined that 94 of the classes were taught in half the school year, i.e., by semesters. Teachers in semester schools were likely to report use of a greater variety of instructional materials. Suggestions reported in the literature of better student attitudes and achievement were not supported, and performance of Grade 12 and 13 students in semestered classes was significantly lower than those in year-long classes. Teachers in semester schools reported comparable coverage of mathematics content, but fewer hours of instruction in their courses. Number of years of teaching experience was not correlated with student achievement in semester schools, but a positive correlation was observed in year-long classes. Lower achievement in semester mathematics classes was observed with no advantage in student attitudes.
References
Brophy, B. (1978). Semestering and the teaching-learning situation. Canadian Journal of Education, 3(1), 47-54.
Centra, J. A., & Potter, D. A. (1980). School and teacher effects: An interrelational model. Review of Educational Research, 50(2), 273-291.
Davis, J. E., Ross, J. A., Ducharme, D. J., & French, W. (1977). The impact of semestering in selected secondary schools in Ontario. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education.
King, A. J. C., Warren, W., Moore, J., Bryans, G., & Pirie, J. (1977). Approaches to semestering. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education.
McLean, L. D., Raphael, D., & Wahlstrom, M. W. (1983). The Second International Mathematics Study: An overview of the Ontario grade 8 study. Orbit, 67, 4-7.
McLean, L., Raphael, D., & Wahlstrom, M. (in press). Intentions and attainments in the teaching and learning of mathematics: Report on the Second International Mathematics Study in Ontario. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education.
Pineo, P., Porter, J., & Roberts, H. (1977). The 1971 census and the socioeconomic classification of occupations. Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 14, 91-102.
Raphael, D., Wahlstrom, M. W., & McLean, L. D. (1983a). Intentions and attainments in the teaching and learning of Ontario Grade 8 mathematics: Results from the Second International Mathematics Study. Ontario Mathematics Gazette, 22(2), 5-11.
Raphael, D., Wahlstrom, M. W., & McLean, L. D. (1983b). The Second International Mathematics Study: An overview of the Ontario Grade 12 / 13 study. Orbit, 68, 7-10.
Raphael, D., Wahlstrom, M. W., & McLean, L. D. (1984). Intentions and attainments in the teaching and learning of Ontario Grade 12/13 mathematics: Results from the Second International Mathematics Study. Ontario Mathematics Gazette, 22(3), 18-27.
Ross, J. (1977). An evaluation of timetable innovation in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Education, 2(1), 23-36.
Sprumont, B. (1979). Survey of research on semestering. Unpublished manuscript, Scarborough Board of Education, Scarborough, Ontario.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The Canadian Journal of Education follows Creative Commons Licencing CC BY-NC-ND.
