Title

The Effects of Multi-Grade Cohorts in Advisor/Advisee Programs on Social Interaction Skills of Sixth Grade Students

Author

Joy Ann Mueller, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date of Award

1998

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Education

Capstone Instructor

Jeffrey Burkhart

Second Reader

Loma Meyer

Keywords

multi-grade cohorts, social interaction skillls

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the benefits of a multi-grade cohort in a sixth through eighth grade advisor/advisee program focusing on sixth grade social interaction skills verse a single grade cohort advisor/advisee program. The literature researched confirmed that multi-grade cohorts for advisor/advisee programs were a more effective way to group students to develop affective social interaction skills. Using a pre- and post-questionnaire with a 2 X 2 factorial design, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a series of independent-samples t-test, it was found that the students (n = 14) in multi-grade cohorts and students (n = 14) in single grade cohorts had a statistically significant difference, F(l,54) = 6.66, (p = .013) after 4 months. Significant change occurred from the pre- to the post-questionnaire but did not indicate that one group had a larger significant change over the other, t(54) = -.2581, p = .013. However, the study showed positive significant change in multi-grade cohorts verses single grade cohorts over time. Through multi-grade cohorts, students became more community based, produced more cooperation across grade levels, showed confidence in communication, felt comfortable and less harassed, and believed their opinions were valued by upper-classmates over time. It was concluded that over time, multi-grade cohorts were the more effective grouping in advisor/advisee programs for developing new sixth grade students' social interaction skills with upper-classmates.

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