Non-attending behaviors in first grade students under three fluorescent lighting conditions

Date

1979-08

Authors

Norris, Jane Hartwell

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate effects of different fluorescent lighting conditions on the degree of non-attending behavior exhibited by children in regular school classrooms. Eleven first grade classrooms in three elementary schools in three suburban school districts near a large metroplex were used in the research. One classroom from each school was randomly assigned to each of the three experimental lighting conditions. The two remaining classrooms were used as control groups. Ninetyseven percent of the first grade students in all three schools were included in this study. A nested design was used to eliminate teacher variables and to allow one experimental condition to be applied to each group. An activity sampling list of thirteen non-attending behaviors was compiled . Student non-attending behaviors were collected for tabulation through the video taping of the classrooms for fifteen minutes during reading. The initial data collection occurred under the cool white fluorescent lights · masked to the intensity of the natural light bulbs.

The statistical method used the difference scores of group means in a one-way analysis of variance. There was a decrease in the frequency of all thirteen non-attending behaviors. Five of these behaviors showing the greatest change were analyzed. These five behaviors were: vocalizes without teacher permission, eye contact to task broken without teacher direction, chair balanced on two legs, out of seat without permission, and teacher reprimands student (verbal or non-verbal) . Eye contact to task broken without teacher direction was significant at £~01. Behavior data collected was reliable due to inner rater reliability correlations which ranged from .955 to .992.

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Keywords

First grade (Education), Education--Primary, Fluorescent lighting--Psychological aspects, Hyperactive children

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