College of Education
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The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations..
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Item Exploring the Use of Cognitive Apprenticeship for Teachers and Students in Science Classrooms(2019) Lee, Yewon; De La Paz, Susan; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The primary goal of this dissertation is to explore the use of cognitive apprenticeship (CA) with teachers and students in science classrooms. In particular, studies that make up this dissertation explore ways that teachers can improve the quality of students’ written scientific explanations and the supports that teachers need in order to promote such growth in their students. CA is a complex instructional model that is challenging for both teachers and students to use, especially in secondary classrooms. Other reports indicate the potential of CA for teaching disciplinary literacy in history classrooms, but this approach has not often been used to teach scientific writing. This project explores that, in inclusive settings with heterogeneous learners, and in an afterschool program, with students with learning disabilities (LD) and those who are English learners (ELs). The first part of the work reported here involved a systematic review of the literature on science writing instruction with these populations and with struggling learners. A total of 14 studies (three randomized control trials, nine quasi-experimental, and two single case design studies) that met established criteria as high quality studies were identified and examined to determine whether researchers were including instructional elements that have been found to be effective for these learners (e.g., cognitive and linguistic supports) and to determine learning and writing outcomes that resulted from the science writing interventions. The next project focused on an in-depth study of two middle school science teachers who participated in PD that was focused on science writing, culminating in the implementation of a CA on constructing and critiquing explanations for scientific phenomena in writing. The goal in this work was to examine how doing so impacted the teachers’ beliefs and their subsequent choice of writing tasks for their science instruction. After this PD, both teachers expressed changes in their beliefs about learners that had lasting effects on their subsequent teaching. They also believed the CA led to improved writing in their students, including their ability to engage in argumentative reasoning. This realization led to changes in other beliefs about their students in general, and about the importance of incorporating writing instruction in class. Ultimately, these changes may have affected the types of tasks they assigned in class. Prior to implementing CA, they assigned writing tasks that were close-ended, but after, they assigned analytical writing tasks like a Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) that promoted scientific reasoning. The third project in this dissertation was an intervention study (using single-case design methodology) that focused on teaching middle school students with LD and who are EL to write scientific explanations. The intervention provided cognitive supports such as procedural facilitators to guide students’ thinking. In addition, linguistic supports, such as the use of contextualized instruction on text structure, vocabulary, and grammar, and instruction on how language is used in a science was also provided to meet the needs of the sixth- and seventh-grade participants. After delivering instruction using CA (and four weeks later), students produced explanations that were rated as higher in overall quality, grammatical and lexical sophistication, and in the length of their writing. Of importance, they also made substantial gain in causal and mechanistic reasoning, which is central to good scientific writing. These findings lead us to believe that middle school science teachers who work with students with LD and those who are EL may underestimate their students’ ability to write. Contrary to their beliefs, findings from these projects suggest otherwise. Given sufficient and appropriate support such as those afforded by CA, our findings provide tentative support for the conjecture that all students, regardless of their disability status or language needs may be able to improve their reasoning and writing skills in science. CAs can be a powerful vehicle that can transform both teacher practices and student learning outcome.Item EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES THAT ENGAGE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE(2018) Elam-Respass, Treesa; Fabian, Ellen; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Culturally-relevant instruction in middle school science engages and inspires the African American male to consider careers in science, technology, engineering, and/or mathematics (STEM). With the exponential value and growth of STEM career options, African American males benefit from the integration of and exposure to cultural language and customs within their science learning. The purpose of the study was to explore the instructional strategies teachers use in middle science classes to engage students, particularly African American males. The study pursued teachers’ perspectives about best instructional practices facilitated in middle school that primarily address culturally-relevant science content. Data for this study was collected and analyzed via responses from an online survey using Qualtrics. The results of the study confirm that the values and needs of African American males are marginally considered during middle school science instructional planning. The teachers report weekly student-teacher discussion techniques as the most commonly implemented practice for student engagement. Whereas, the survey participants also reported that the reading strategy was more infrequently implemented. With respect to the culturally relevant instruction, the survey participants postulate that the introduction of cultural elements proffer more interesting, valuable, and relatable lessons in middle school science. However, the teacher responses demonstrate minimal to no inclusion of culturally relevant instruction Lastly, teachers can benefit from learning about culturally relevant practices and the multicultural framework.Item Giving Children Space: A Phenomenological Exploration of Student Experiences in Space Science Inquiry(2011) Horne, Christopher Robert; Hultrgren, Francine; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study explores the experiences of 4th grade students in an inquiry-based space science classroom. At the heart of the study lies the essential question: What is the lived experience of children engaged in the process of space science inquiry? Through the methodology of phenomenological inquiry, the author investigates the essence of the lived experience of twenty 4th grade students as well as the reflections of two high school students looking back on their 4th grade space science experience. To open the phenomenon more deeply, the concept of space is explored as an overarching theme throughout the text. The writings of several philosophers including Martin Heidegger and Hans-Georg Gadamer are opened up to understand the existential aspects of phenomenology and the act of experiencing the classroom as a lived human experience. The methodological structure for the study is based largely on the work of Max van Manen (2003) in his seminal work, Researching Lived Experience, which describes a structure of human science research. A narrative based on classroom experiences, individual conversations, written reflections, and group discussion provides insight into the students' experiences. Their stories and thoughts reveal the themes of activity, interactivity, and "inquiractivity," each emerging as an essential element of the lived experience in the inquiry-based space science classroom. The metaphor of light brings illumination to the themes. Activity in the classroom is associated with light's constant and rapid motion throughout the Milky Way and beyond. Interactivity is seen through students' interactions just as light's reflective nature is seen through the illumination of the planets. Finally, inquiractivity is connected to questioning, the principal aspect of the inquiry-based classroom just as the sun is the essential source of light in our solar system. As the era of No Child Left Behind fades, and the next generation of science standards emerge, the students' stories are viewed through the lens of the scientific practices found in A Framework for K-12 Science Education (The National Research Council, 2011). The critical challenge for elementary educators interacting with this text is to find the lived meaning of giving children space in an inquiry-based experience.Item Newly Qualified Teachers' Visions of Science Learning and Teaching(2011) Roberts, Deborah L.; van Zee, Emily H; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study investigated newly qualified teachers' visions of science learning and teaching. The study also documented their preparation in an elementary science methods course. The research questions were: What educational and professional experiences influenced the instructor's visions of science learning and teaching? What visions of science learning and teaching were promoted in the participants' science methods course? What visions of science learning and teaching did these newly qualified teachers bring with them as they graduated from their teacher preparation program? How did these visions compare with those advocated by reform documents? Data sources included participants' assignments, weekly reflections, and multi-media portfolio finals. Semi-structured interviews provided the emic voice of participants, after graduation but before they had begun to teach. These data were interpreted via a combination of qualitative methodologies. Vignettes described class activities. Assertions supported by excerpts from participants' writings emerged from repeated review of their assignments. A case study of a typical participant characterized weekly reflections and final multi-media portfolio. Four strands of science proficiency articulated in a national reform document provided a framework for interpreting activities, assignments, and interview responses. Prior experiences that influenced design of the methods course included an inquiry-based undergraduate physics course, participation in a reform-based teacher preparation program, undergraduate and graduate inquiry-based science teaching methods courses, participation in a teacher research group, continued connection to the university as a beginning teacher, teaching in diverse Title 1 schools, service as the county and state elementary science specialist, participation in the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, service on a National Research Council committee, and experience teaching a science methods course. The methods course studied here emphasized reform-based practices, science as inquiry, culturally responsive teaching, scientific discourse, and integration of science with technology and other disciplines. Participants' writings and interview responses articulated visions of science learning and teaching that included aspects of reform-based practices. Some participants intentionally incorporated and implemented reform-based strategies in field placements during the methods course and student teaching. The strands of scientific proficiency were evident in activities, assignments and participants' interviews in varying degrees.Item The Effects of Using Mental Imagery as a Comprehension Strategy for Middle School Students Reading Science Expository Texts(2009) Jenkins, Margaret H.; Dreher, Mariam J; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study investigated the effects of mental imagery instruction using science expository texts on middle school students. Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, four intact classes (56 students) were randomly assigned to either an experimental or comparison group. Students in the experimental group received instruction on mental imagery strategies while comparison group students received no mental imagery instruction. After the 2-week intervention, students took Posttest 1. The comparison group students then received mental imagery instruction. Throughout the rest of the school year, all students were prompted at least two to three times a week to use mental imagery strategies. At the end of the school year, all participants took Posttest 2. Results indicated that there was a statistically significant interaction of time and group for the selected response (SR) portion of expository science text comprehension measure. Both groups appeared to make gains between Posttest 1 and Posttest 2, once both had received mental imagery instruction. The comparison group, which by chance included stronger readers, outperformed the experimental group. There were no statistically significant differences on the brief constructed response (BCR) measure. Analysis of the performance of low-, middle-, and high-comprehenders revealed statistically significant main effects for time and for type of comprehender on the SR portion of the comprehension task. While all students appeared to make gains between Posttest 1 and 2, the high- and middle-comprehenders consistently outperformed the low-comprehenders. For the BCR, there were no statistically significant effects of time or interaction; however, there was a statistically significant effect for type of comprehender. Pearson's product moment correlations revealed a statistically significant positive relation between vividness of mental imagery and motivation to read for middle-comprehenders and a statistically significant negative correlation between comprehension and vividness of mental imagery for high-comprehenders. Both experimental and comparison groups showed no statistically significant difference in motivation to read before and after mental imagery intervention. These results suggest that middle school students may benefit from mental imagery strategies when reading science expository texts. It is recommended that these strategies be used as a continuous effort in the classroom rather than a short term "quick-fix."Item Effectiveness of false correction strategy on science reading comprehension(2008-05-01) Ghent, Cynthia; Holliday, William G; Curriculum and Instruction; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)False-correction reading strategy theoretically prompted college students to activate their prior knowledge when provided false statements linked to a portion of their biology textbook. This strategy is based in elaborative interrogation theory, which suggests that prompting readers to answer interrogatives about text students are reading increases their comprehension of that text. These interrogatives always asked "why" statements pulled from a text, one sentence in length, were "true." True statements in this study based on a text were converted by the experimenter into false statements, one sentence in length. Students were requested to rewrite each statement (n=12) on average every 200 words in a text as they were reading, converting each false statement into a true statement. These students outperformed other students requested to reread the same biology text twice (an established placebo-control strategy). These students, in turn, outperformed still other students reading an unrelated control text taken from the same textbook used only to establish a prior knowledge baseline for all students included in this study. Students participating in this study were enrolled students in an undergraduate introductory general biology course designed for non-majors. A three-group, posttest-only, randomized experimental control-group design was used to prevent pretest activation of students' prior knowledge thus increasing chances of producing evidence of false-correction effectiveness and to begin augmenting potential generalizability to science classrooms. Students' (n=357) general biology knowledge, verbal ability, and attempts to use the false correction strategy were collected and analyzed. Eight of the participants were interviewed by the researcher in a first attempt in this domain to collect data on participants' points of view about the strategy. The results of this study are not yet recommended for use in authentic school settings as further research is indicated.