An investigation of the educational environment in the homes of third, fourth, and fifth grade students and its relationship to pertinent variables

<p>This study investigated several dimensions of the educational environment in the homes of third, fourth, and fifth grade students and their relationship to pertinent variables. The instrument used to measure the educational environment in the homes of third, fourth, and fifth grade students was a modified version of the Index of Educational Environment developed by Dave in 1963;The sample in the study consisted of 459 parents and their third, fourth and fifth grade children attending elementary schools located in north central Iowa. There were two objectives in the study: (1) to examine whether or not there is more than one underlying dimension to the educational environment in the home; and (2) to test hypotheses in which pertinent relationships among variables have been formulated;Factor analysis revealed five dimensions of the educational environment in the home. The five dimensions revealed in the present study were similar to Dave's process variables formulated in his study in 1963. Findings also indicated that when mothers and fathers are grouped by their level of education, differences occurred in the homes in relationship to the five dimensions of the educational environment in the home. A significant main effect revealed that parents give more academic guidance and support and have higher educational aspirations and expectations for their male children than for their female children. Also, in homes where children spend more than one hour each day per school week on homework, parents spend more time reading and discussing ideas and events in the home with their children, and the dictionary and encyclopedia are used more in the home. Analyses also indicated that the family is more involved with household chores, and the dictionary and encyclopedia are used more in the home when children watch ten hours of less of television per school week. Another significant main effect revealed that parents of third grade students spend more time reading and discussing in the home with their children than parents of fifth grade children. Also, parents of high achieving students in reading spend more time reading and discussing in the home with their children, hold higher educational aspirations and expectations for their children, and the dictionary and encyclopedia are used more in the home than in homes of average to low achievers in reading.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

dissertation

Department dc:contributor.department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction (1990–2012)

Year dc:date.issued

1991

Author dc:creator

• Caudle, Drusilla

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Theresa E. McCormick

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31274/rtd-180813-9431

Identifier

archive/lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/9926/

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dr.lib.iastate.edu:20.500.12876/83078