Documentary search
 
 

Document

Special Elementary Education for the Disadvantaged (SEED)


File number :
PPEE-ISC-10e

Bibliographic reference :
Webster, W.J., Dryden, M., Leddick, L., Green, C.A. (1999). Evaluation of Project SEED: Detroit Public Schools, 1997-98. MI: Detroit Public Schools, 39 pages.

Abstract :

Description of Program
Special Elementary Education for the Disadvantaged (SEED) was a mathematics program that was added to the conventional primary school curriculum. It was designed to help children from minority groups or low-income families develop greater confidence in their ability to succeed in their school work, particularly in mathematics. Mathematicians and scientists were trained in Socratic teaching to instruct classes based on a series of questions, with which students had to actively construct their knowledge. Regular teachers were asked to participate.

Purpose of Study
The goal was to assess the effect of the SEED program on mathematics achievement and attitude towards mathematics of third grade students at Detroit primary schools. The purpose was also to gather the impressions of school principals, teachers, parents and students targeted by the program. This study was part of a nation-wide project on the effect of the SEED program conducted at urban schools in five U.S. states.

Assessment
The evaluation was both quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative component consisted of algebra and mathematics tests administered to students in the group who had participated in the program for at least fourteen weeks and to students in the control group. The qualitative component involved finding out how the students, teachers who had “SEED instructors” come to their classes, school principals and parents perceived the project.

The researchers also wanted to assess the extent to which the program was implemented as stipulated at the start, including stress on both learning content and process, students active in constructing their knowledge, teachers seen as knowledge mediators, proper learning environment, and so on.

Main Results
(1) Program implementation: According to the researchers, the program was implemented in the schools targeted by the project as initially stipulated.
(2) Algebra and mathematics achievement: participation in the SEED program increased achievement very significantly in algebra tests (average of 9.10 for the experimental group as opposed to 3.94 for the control group) and mathematics tests (average of 470.98 for the experimental group as opposed to 424.57 for the control group). In the case of the mathematics tests, socioeconomic status appeared to play a significant role in the post-test scores; higher socioeconomic status would contribute to better test scores, although to a lesser extent than participation in the SEED program.
(3) Impressions of participants: they all reported that SEED was beneficial to students and that they participated more actively in class. The students themselves said that they felt more confident about mathematics and school in general.



Key Words :
Underprivileged Environment, Minorities, Attitude towards Mathematics, Mathematics, Algebra, Student Impressions, Parent Impressions, Teacher Impressions, School-Family-Community Partnership, Elementary School, Primary School

Monitored Countries :
United States