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Beth Berger
University of Central Florida
STARS Citation
Berger, Beth, "A Comparison Of Character Education Programs And Their Effects On Academic Achievement, Behavior, And
Attendance" (2005). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 283.
This Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic
Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact lee.dotson@ucf.edu.
A COMPARISON OF CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND
THEIR EFFECTS ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, BEHAVIOR,
AND ATTENDANCE
By
moral reasoning.
data for the 1998-1999 school year and the 2002-2003 school
year. These dates were chosen because they were the pre-
i
implementation year (1998-1999) and four years after the
ANOVAs.
ii
a statistically significant relationship between those
3
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
dissertation process.
encouragement.
To my daughter Elyse and her husband Aaron Greenberg,
thank you for all the times you put your own needs on hold
that I would see this through and I thank you also for your
frightening times.
you want.
influence others.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT.................................................. i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.......................................... iv
LIST OF TABLES........................................... ix
LIST OF FIGURES........................................... x
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.................................. 1
Significance of the Study................................ 2
Statement of the Problem................................. 4
Purpose of the Study..................................... 4
Research Questions....................................... 5
Null Hypotheses.......................................... 6
Methodology.............................................. 7
Definition of the Terms................................. 10
Delimitations........................................... 12
Limitations............................................. 12
Theoretical Framework................................... 13
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.................................. 84
Overview of the Study................................... 84
Procedural Methods...................................... 84
vii
Research Question 2.................................... 103
Research Question 3.................................... 103
Research Question 4.................................... 104
Research Question 5.................................... 105
Results of the Hypotheses.............................. 106
Hypothesis 1........................................... 106
Hypothesis 2........................................... 109
Hypothesis 3........................................... 114
8
LIST OF TABLES
INTRODUCTION
1
Character First (Character Training Institute, 1999) and
curriculum.
(Fenstermacher, 1990).
explored.
Research Questions
questions:
schools?
schools?
Null Hypotheses
study:
your program?
following:
the Supreme Being, due to the fact that these papers may be
tradition, one does not spell out the name of the Supreme
books and papers that contain the holy name, when no longer
public good.
Clearinghouse (2004):
requirements.
graduation.
3. California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana,
Delimitations
Limitations
not take into account other programs (such as, but not
districts.
Theoretical Framework
and property.
expectations.
societys welfare.
(Kohlberg, 1981).
to the group.
group.
(Kohlberg, 1981).
particular decisions.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Introduction
there has been much confusion and conflict about the role
1999).
Throughout history, most countries have had two great
Trustworthiness:
Be honest
Dont deceive, cheat or steal
Be reliable do what you say you will do
Have the courage to do the right thing
Build a good reputation
Be loyal stand by your family, friends and country
Respect:
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule
Be tolerant of differences
Use good manners, not bad language
Be considerate of the feelings of others
Dont threaten, hit or hurt anyone
Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements
Responsibility:
Do what you are supposed to do
Persevere: keep on trying!
Always do your best
Use self-control
Be self-disciplined
Think before you act consider the consequences
Be accountable for your choices
Fairness:
Play by the rules
Take turns and share
Be open-minded; listen to others
Dont take advantage of others
Dont blame others carelessly
Caring:
Be kind
Be compassionate and show you care
Express gratitude
Forgive others
Help people in need
Citizenship:
Do your share to make your school and community better
Cooperate
Stay informed; vote
Be a good neighbor Obey laws and rules
Respect authority
Protect the environment (Josephson Institute, 2004, 1-7)
For example:
should be fostered).
good character.
One of the reasons character education has been so
began with The Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647. Thus, the
Deluder Satan Act further provided that if any town did not
(Massachusetts, 1853).
Not only did The Old Deluder Satan Act require the
Holy Commandments.
1999).
Money to fund the Catholic schools was a problem.
(Kern, 1999).
1999).
During the period from the turn of the twentieth
curriculum.
1993).
that was the way they were taught to teach), many former
development were:
The preconventional level which is comprised of:
Instrumental-relativist orientation
orientation
Universal-ethical-principle orientation.
(Kohlberg, 1975).
the notion that our nation was at risk due to the poor
statistics:
education:
1993).
prepared for life, than their parents were at the same age
(p. 5).
and love.
would save their dog before the stranger because they love
their dogs but did not even know the stranger. According to
that human beings are created in G-ds image and that dogs
save the life of the stranger before that of his dog). The
value system.
the world around them and the human beings who inhabit this
They are:
1. Knowledge
unchangeable character.
1998).
reference.
Effective character education programs teach values
tests.
children who are brain smart but not heart smart (p.1).
Environment
not exist in a vacuum. These are the programs that not only
the old adage its not whether you win or lose but how you
(Etzioni, 1998).
that,
75).
Legal Issues
students excused from this law were those who were limited
three miles from the nearest road, and those children who
had already completed the eighth grade. Parents who did not
2001). In this vein, there are those who are concerned that
religion.
(Walsh, 2001b).
p.7).
1994).
school calendar, which had for the past few years closed
(Sandham, 2000).
and the Concerned Women for America. Also included were the
Tolerance, 2001).
to health issues.
reported.
students
behaviors
drug use
components:
caring.
learning styles.
participate.
gain momentum.
have the bill signed into law. Bills promoting the display
modern times.
we can:
throughout history?
such matters?
their populations.
METHODOLOGY
may replicate.
Procedural Methods
your program?
program?
schools of Florida.
the researcher.
program?
education plan?
as follows:
chosen:
Flagler (northeast)
Broward (southeast)
Seminole (central)
Bay - (panhandle)
Sarasota - (southwest)
chosen:
mandate.
2. The number of incidents of crime and violence for
ANOVAs.
CHAPTER 4
ANALYSIS OF DATA
Introduction
questions:
your program?
following:
schools.
Research Question 1
and citizenship.
Character Program.
and service.
The Bay County School District plan incorporates the
curriculum.
Research Question 2
Research Question 3
Research Question 4
The data did not show that the school districts that
period.
Hypothesis 1
Table 1
Measure: Measure 1
Character
Incidents Ed Mean SD N
A, Figure 1).
Hypothesis 2
Achievement.
Table 3
Measure: Measure 1
in Table 4.
Table 4
increase of 6.58%.
(Table 5).
Table 5
Measure: Measure 1
in Table 6.
Table 6
Hypothesis 3
(Table 7).
Table 7
Measure: Measure 1
Table 8
Summary
live.
strong program.
Strong working models were found to have the following
shared characteristics:
stationery.
manner.
character traits.
performance.
Center.
posters.
websites.
Discussion
feasible.
Education.
Conclusions
conclusions.
school year.
Recommendations
districts.
student achievement?
in these schools?
in these schools?
in these schools?
Figure 1
Reported Incidents of Crimes and Violence Per School
68
66
64
62
P erc ent of S tudents
60
C H AR AC TER ED
58
W e ak
Im pl em en tati on
56
S trong
Im pl em en tati on
54
2002-0 3
1998-99
TI ME
Figure 2
Percentage of Students Reading at Level 3 or Higher
60
50
P erc e n t of S tu de nts
CHARACTER ED
Weak
Implementation
Strong
Implementation
40 2002-03
1998-99
TIME
Figure 3
Percent of Students Achieving at Level 3 or Higher in
Mathematics
8 .0
7 .5
P e rc e n t o f S tu d e n ts A b s e n t
7 .0
6 .5
CHARACTER ED
6 .0 W eak
I m p l e m e n ta ti o n
S tro n g
2 0 0 2 -0 3 I m p l e m e n ta ti o n
5 .5
1 9 9 8 -9 9
TI M E
Figure 4
Mean Percent of Students Absent at Least 21 Days of School
Per Year
LIST OF REFERENCES
Wray, H. (1996). The moral child. U.S. News & World Report,
96(2), 52-58.