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OCT. 16 MOSIER LECTURE: JMU RESEARCH ON 'AT-RISK' AUGUSTA YOUTH | |
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From: Media Relations October 13, 2000HARRISONBURG, Va. – Two James Madison University education professors will discuss their study of at-risk Augusta County high-school freshmen – including the effect of SOLs – during the eighth annual Mosier Fellowship Lecture Monday, Oct. 16, at JMU. Professors Les Bolt and Elizabeth Ihle will present "Angst in Augusta County: Transitioning At-Risk Students in a High-Stakes Environment" at 7 p.m. in Chandler Hall's Shenandoah Room. In their study, Bolt and Ihle identified 30 students during their eighth-grade year and tracked them throughout the ninth grade, measuring the students' feelings regarding their study skills, self-concept and general impressions about school. Among their findings, the professors noted that state-mandated Standards of Learning testing "has really changed the whole dynamic" for at-risk students, creating yet another chance for them to feel like they don't belong. To help ease the difficult transition from middle school to high school, Fort Defiance High School officials split two of the students' 90-minute block class periods into 45-minute sessions for language arts, mathematics, science and social studies, and also created another block for study-skills help, especially in algebra. "One of the big things with at-risk students is that they need to have some sort of specialized support structure," Bolt said. Bolt handled data collection and Ihle did student interviews during the project, which came about through the JMU School of Education's partnership arrangement with Fort Defiance High and Gordon Stewart Middle schools. Academic motivation comes in many forms, Ihle said, especially for at-risk students. "One student told me, 'I'm going to graduate 'cause my father didn't,'" she said. The professors said they hoped to continue tracking the study's students throughout their high-school careers. "It would be especially interesting to see how many of them finish," Ihle said. "One thing is certain," added Bolt, "we absolutely must figure out what to do with these kids." Bolt said the study findings could have "a lot of transportability to other schools and other academic situations." The Oct. 16 lecture is open to the public. A reception with light refreshments will follow the hourlong lecture. Given in honor of the late Dr. Earl Mosier and his wife, Ruth Mosier, both Harrisonburg residents and longtime educators, the fellowship supports JMU College of Education and Psychology professorial activities in applied study and work that benefits students and the greater university community. For more information, call the Office of the Dean of the College of Education and Psychology at (540) 568-6572. # # #Writer: Bill Gentry, Media/University Relations |
 
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Publisher: Media Relations For Information Contact: JMU News Bureau |
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