Assessing The Gains Of Behavioral Dynamics Essential For Success In A Democracy For Teacher Education Students - Statistical Data Included

College Student Journal, Sept, 2000 by Donald F. Demoulin, Rosemarie Kolstad

This is a statistical assessment of gains in behavioral dynamics essential for success in a democracy by a large group of teacher education students as they progress through college and graduate school. It is based on Dewey's definition of a democracy -- "the interdependence of independent individuals" where two critical behavior dynamics are essential for success in a democracy: (1) ability to make a living in a competitive economic society -- which involves "personal maturity," and (2) the ability to get along with all different kinds of people -- which involves "social integration." The study includes a cross check on the same data (validity of outcomes) by the use of the age of students in relation to grade; since students get older as they progress through college, and even to make comparisons among varying statistical procedures for further validity purposes. Let there be no doubt, based on this data, that our teacher education students are being prepared well for successful living in a democracy.

The Democratic Maturity Test (DEMO)

This test is being developed to assess personal maturity and the social integration of individuals, and seeks to include the dynamics essential for success in a democracy. It is comprised of 200 true/false items, and is designed for running on a PC AT like computer. It is comprised of two separate parts with four part scores in each, and includes the essentials described by John Dewey as the basis for a successful life in a democracy:

College Students Involved in Study

A total of 1,452 college students largely from Tennessee, Texas, and California were involved in the study. They ranged in age from 18 to 43 years with a mean age of 21.23 years and a standard deviation of 4.76 years. It included 982 female students ranging in age from 18 to 43 years with a mean age of 22.20 years and with a standard deviation of 5.28 years. There were 470 male students ranging in age from 18 to 38 years with a mean age of 19.19 years and a standard deviation of 2.36 years. All students were majoring in teacher education. There were 768 freshmen, 82 sophomores, 334 juniors, 148 seniors, and 120 graduate students.

Age and Grade Level Correlations

The pearson correlations shown in Table 1 below for column 1 depict a comparison between age and democratic maturity for the 1452 college teacher education students. Ten of the 11 DEMO scores correlate significantly with the age of the college students. This means that the older the student the higher are those scores, and the better they are prepared to compete successfully in a democratic (economically based) society, and to get along well with the widest possible assortment of people (race, religion, and culture). In the second column of Table 1 are the correlations with being a male or female, and when the correlation is negative (has a "-" sign) the female tends to demonstrate greater democratic maturity than the male. Every one of the DEMO scores show greater democratic maturity for females over males, and 6 of the 11 scores are statistically significant at the 01 level of confidence. Clearly females show greater democratic maturity than males; a very dramatic change from the period before 1919 when many females were not even allowed to vote in national or local elections. The third column of Table 1 shows correlations in relation to GRADE; where grades range from freshman through graduate level. Every single one of the 11 DEMO scores show statistically significant greater democratic maturity as our teacher education students progress through the college grades. The correlations for the total scores (PERMAT, SOCINT, and DEMTOT) on the DEMO test are much higher than for any of the single part scores; showing that general democratic maturity is achieved better than any single aspect, and as measured by part scores. This represents "person-centered" learning at its best for our teacher training institutions. It should be noted that the gains based on college exposure are much higher than for age. This suggests that the gains for democratic maturity are more associated with the college instructional program than from simply growing older. Also, the gains for total scores (general democratic growth) are much greater than for individual part scores, which suggests that "general" democratic maturity" is more important than any of the DEMO part scores.. Here the focus is on the individual; as opposed to subject matter, and it represents a truly "person-centered" approach (Carl Rogers would be proud of this study)..

Table 1 Correlation of DEMO Scores and Data (N=1452)

Scores       (1)       (2)       (3)       (4)       (5)

 1. AGE      1000
 2. GENDER   -026      1000
 3. GRADE     767(*)   -343(*)   1000
 4. EST       221(*)   -080       307(*)   1000
 5. COP       378(*)   -182(*)    399(*)    507(*)   1000
 6. ASS       200(*)   -089       277(*)    351(*)    381(*)
 7. LOC       080      -077       261(*)    476(*)    476(*)
 8. PERMAT    292(*)   -143(*)    416(*)    773(*)    788(*)
 9. CFM       210(*)   -175(*)    326(*)    321(*)    270(*)
10. SYM       093      -282(*)    267(*)    178(*)    384(*)
11. EFF       356(*)   -141(*)    392(*)    501(*)    439(*)
12. CAR       198(*)   -117       399(*)    468(*)    325(*)
13. SOCINT    306(*)   -243(*)    505(*)    545(*)    496(*)
14. DEMTOT    339(*)   -217       523(*)    734(*)    713(*)

Scores       (6)       (7)       (8)       (9)       (10)

 1. AGE
 2. GENDER
 3. GRADE
 4. EST
 5. COP
 6. ASS      1000
 7. LOC       307(*)   1000
 8. PERMAT    679(*)    758(*)   1000
 9. CFM      -164(*)    373(*)    266(*)   1000
10. SYM       333(*)    371(*)    425(*)    118(*)   1000
11. EFF       079       416(*)    477(*)    429(*)    238(*)
12. CAR       130(*)    456(*)    459(*)    288(*)    146(*)
13. SOCINT    120(*)    585(*)    582(*)    665(*)    463(*)
14. DEMTOT    430(*)    747(*)    875(*)    535(*)    495(*)

Scores       (11)      (12)      (13)      (14)

 1. AGE
 2. GENDER
 3. GRADE
 4. EST
 5. COP
 6. ASS
 7. LOC
 8. PERMAT
 9. CFM
10. SYM
11. EFF      1000
12. CAR       573(*)   1000
13. SOCINT    802(*)    800(*)   1000
14. DEMTOT    726(*)    718(*)    899(*)   1000