Date of Award

12-1-1978

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Teaching & Learning

Abstract

Statement of the Problem The problem of this study was to identify and analyze selected teaching practices used in teaching first-year Gregg Shorthand in United States high schools.

Procedures Participants in this study were teachers of first-year Gregg Shorthand randomly selected from each of the 50 states. The population for this study consisted of schools systematically selected from Patterson's American Education resource book. A sample by state was obtained by selecting one school per page using a table of random numbers. A total of 511 questionnaires were mailed; 284 were returned.

Treatment of the Data Teachers' responses were analyzed statistically using subprograms of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). ONEWAY, REGRESSION, PEARSON CORR, FREQUENCIES, and CONDESCRIPTIVE were utilized to treat the data.

Conclusions Recognizing the limitations of this study, the researcher drew the following conclusions based on the findings obtained from this research study:

1. Total time available for classroom instruction in first-year shorthand did not substantially affect estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement.

2. Size of class had a substantial influence on estimated new- matter dictation speed achievement. The mean speed achievement of 76.38 words a minute for classes consisting of from one to 10 students was considerably higher than that for other classifications. A definite trend was indicated. As class size increased, mean speed achievement declined.

3. No substantial differences were determined in estimated new- matter dictation speed achievement for various practices used to assign homework in Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

4. No substantial differences were determined in estimated new- matter dictation speed achievement for various practices used to test reading progress in Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

5. No substantial differences were determined in estimated new- matter dictation speed achievement for various practices used to teach writing from dictation in Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

6. Substantial differences in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement were determined for various practices used to teach brief forms in Book I of first-year shorthand. The mean speed achievements of 75.72 words a minute for teachers using duplicated tests and 72.21 words a minute for teachers using dictated tests were considerably higher than that for other classifications. A substantial difference was determined for various minimum end-of-year accuracy requirements for brief form performance in first-year shorthand. The mean speed achievement for groups requiring from 95 to 100 percent accuracy on brief form performance was considerably higher than that for other classifications. No substantial differences in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement were determined for various practices used to teach brief forms in Book II or for various practices used to teach commonly used phrases in Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

7. Various practices used to encourage the writing of theoretically correct shorthand outlines in Book I and Book II of first-year shorthand did not substantially affect estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement.

8. Substantial differences in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement were determined for number of tests for evaluating students’ ability to write new-matter dictation in Book I and Book II of first-year shorthand. The mean speed achievement for teachers who gave new-matter dictation tests three times a week was considerably higher than that for other classifications. No substantial differences in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement were determined for the day or lesson when new-matter dictation was introduced, length of new-matter dictation tests, or accuracy requirement on new-matter dictation tests in either Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

9. Substantial differences in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement were determined for amount of time devoted to typewriter transcription in Book I and Book II of first-year shorthand. The mean speed achievement for teachers who devoted 61 minutes or more of class time per week to typewriter transcription was considerably higher than that for other classifications. Differences were greater in Book I than in Book II. No substantial difference in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement was determined for when typewriter transcription was introduced in either Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

10. No substantial differences were determined in estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement for various practices employed in using shorthand laboratories in Book I or Book II of first-year shorthand.

11. Time spent on various class activities in Book I and Book II of first-year shorthand did not substantially affect estimated new-matter dictation speed achievement.

Download

Share

COinS