Individualized Science Instruction in the Middle Schools & Junior High Schools in Kentucky

A study was made of the individualized science instruction in the middle schools and junior high schools of Kentucky. The status of the programs was investigated by an information survey. The instrument sought answers as to the size of the schools, organization of the schools, kinds of science taught and the frequency of use of individualized science approaches. Methods of financing and the administering plans, the objectives of the plans, and the strategies implemented to achieve these were parts of the study. Questions designed to elicit details about the requirements of an individualized program included the increase in laboratory activity directions needed, the amounts of laboratory equipment and all materials made necessary by the individualized plans. Facts about faculty reactions and evaluation of the method were also items in the questioning. The instrument was sent to 173 middle schools and junior high schools with a response of 68 percent. Individualized science programs were in use in 41 percent of the respondent schools. These plans were most often self-administered and 70 percent of them boards of education and the general 4 percent were supported by federal A higher percentage of schools with were financed by local school funds, while or state research funds. enrollments of 600-900 or more pupils used more of the individualized plans than did the smaller schools. Most plans emphasized a combination of affective and cognitive objectives and used an average of four strategies to implement their programs. An increase of all materials was thought necessary by the majority of the schools responding. Most faculty reactions were positive although admitting the necessity of more hours of preparation tailed by the individualized program. Evaluation of the success of the programs in the cognitive domain revealed that 52 percent of the schools found that students in the individualized programs made higher scores on standardized and teacher-made science achievement tests. In the affective domain, positive success was seen with the pupils of 65 percent of the populations showing more self-discipline and the students of 83 percent of them showing improved attitudes after being enrolled in individualized science classes. The individualized programs were rated moderately successful by 58 percent of the respondents and definitely successful by 40 percent of the respondents