A Phenomenological Examination of Perceived Skills and Concepts Necessary for Teaching Scientific Thinking

Autor/in	Kapetanis, Ana Cristina
Titel	A Phenomenological Examination of Perceived Skills and Concepts Necessary for Teaching Scientific Thinking
Quelle	(2011), (297 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ed.D. Dissertation, Walden University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-1248-8102-7
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Elementary School Science; Private Schools; Science Programs; Scientific Principles; Focus Groups; Outcomes of Education; Social Change; Educational Change; Science Curriculum; Phenomenology; High Stakes Tests; Educational Improvement; Constructivism (Learning); Observation; Interviews; Sample Size; Inquiry; Science Instruction; Science Education; Thinking Skills; United States + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Private school; Privatschule; Lernleistung; Schulerfolg; Sozialer Wandel; Bildungsreform; Phenomenological psychology; Phänomenologie; Psychologie; Teaching improvement; Unterrichtsentwicklung; Beobachtung; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Denkfähigkeit; USA
Abstract	The use of high stakes testing to improve educational outcomes falls short in many settings. Proposals for improvement include providing more opportunities for students to extend their thinking, gaining experience in the social nature of science, and learning how to interpret, explain, and justify results. This phenomenological qualitative project study took place in a small independent school in the southeastern United States that lacked a cohesive elementary science program and was looking to create a vertically aligned science curriculum based on constructivism. The research question asked what skills and concepts teachers believed should be included in an elementary science program in order for students to learn scientific inquiry to be better prepared for middle and upper school science subjects. Using focus groups, observations, and interviews of a small sample of 4 teachers, data were collected, transcribed, and categorized through open coding. Inductive analysis was employed to look for patterns and emerging themes that painted a picture of how teachers viewed the current science program and what attributes they felt were important in the creation of a new curriculum. The findings revealed that teachers felt there was lack of a vertically aligned science curriculum, availability of resources throughout the school, and consistent support to provide an effective science program. The recommendations called for developing an elementary science program that includes all strands proposed by the National Science Education Standards and would provide students with opportunities to engage in scientific inquiry, conduct detailed observations, and learn to support conclusions using data. The implications for positive social change include development of programs that result in integrated science learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10