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A Study Of Changes In Students' Science Attitudes, Awareness And Achievement Across Three Years As A Function Of The Level Of Implementation Of Interactive-Constructivist Teaching Strategies Promoted In A Local Systemic Reform Effort., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Anderson
A Study Of Changes In Students' Science Attitudes, Awareness And Achievement Across Three Years As A Function Of The Level Of Implementation Of Interactive-Constructivist Teaching Strategies Promoted In A Local Systemic Reform Effort., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Anderson
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This study explored the cumulative effect of three years of exposure to teaching strategies being promoted in a local school district's systemic reform on elementary students' attitudes towards school science, awareness of science careers, and science achievement. The reform effort, referred to as the "Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature" (Science PALs) program focused on incorporating children's literature and parent partners using an interactive-constructivist epistemology as its base. Individual teachers were rated by the school district's science coordinator on their use of specific Science PALs strategies. Student attitudes and awareness were assessed with a paper and pencil survey developed for this …
A Study Of The Impact Of A Long-Term Local Systemic Reform On The Perceptions, Attitudes, And Achievement Of Grade 3/4 Students., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Anderson
A Study Of The Impact Of A Long-Term Local Systemic Reform On The Perceptions, Attitudes, And Achievement Of Grade 3/4 Students., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Anderson
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This study reports on the effects of a major reform initiative which was implemented in the Iowa City Community Schools District. The Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) Project was launched in 1994 to reform the district's elementary science program. It was designed to increase teacher effectiveness by providing a comprehensive professional development program for improving science content knowledge and science content-pedagogical knowledge, to enrich the cross-curricular connections of the science units, and to promote meaningful parental involvement in science learning. Another goal of Science PALs was to move teachers towards an interactive-constructive model of teaching and learning that …
Students' Perceptions And Supervisors' Rating As Assessments Of Interactive-Constructivist Science Teaching In Elementary School., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, Laura Henriques, John Dunkhase, Jean Bancroft
Students' Perceptions And Supervisors' Rating As Assessments Of Interactive-Constructivist Science Teaching In Elementary School., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, Laura Henriques, John Dunkhase, Jean Bancroft
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This study took place within the context of a four-year local systemic reform effort collaboratively undertaken by the Science Education Center at the University of Iowa and the Iowa City Community School District. The goal of the project was to move teachers towards an interactive-constructivist model of teaching and learning that assumes a middle-of-the-road interpretation of constructivism, where hands-on activities are used selectively and purposefully to challenge students' ideas, promote deep processing, and achieve conceptual change. The research focus of this study was to verify the use of students' perceptions and attitudes and the supervisor's ratings as measures of teachers' …
Do Students Really Notice? A Study Of The Impact Of A Local Systemic Reform., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Dunkhase, Brian Hand
Do Students Really Notice? A Study Of The Impact Of A Local Systemic Reform., James Shymansky, Larry Yore, John Dunkhase, Brian Hand
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This paper describes a major reform effort of an elementary science curriculum called the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) Project. The goal of the project was to move teachers towards an interactive-constructivist model of teaching and learning that assumes a middle-of-the-road interpretation of constructivism where hands-on activities are used selectively and purposefully to challenge students' ideas, promote deep processing, and achieve conceptual change. The program also enriches the cross-curricular connections of the science units and promotes meaningful parental involvement. A broad question was raised as to whether or not students really notice. This study explored elementary school students' …
Students' Perceptions Of Science Teaching And Attitudes Toward Science Learning And Teachers' Self-Report Of Using Children's Ideas, Applications Of Science, And Use Of Print Resources As Indicators Of Interactive-Constructivist Teaching In Elementary Schools., Larry Yore, James Shymansky, Laura Henriques, Brian Hand, John Dunkhase, Joanne Lewis
Students' Perceptions Of Science Teaching And Attitudes Toward Science Learning And Teachers' Self-Report Of Using Children's Ideas, Applications Of Science, And Use Of Print Resources As Indicators Of Interactive-Constructivist Teaching In Elementary Schools., Larry Yore, James Shymansky, Laura Henriques, Brian Hand, John Dunkhase, Joanne Lewis
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This paper describes a study that took place within the context of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALs) project. Particularly, the study sought to determine answers to the following questions: (1) What are the internal consistencies and substantive, external, and structural validities of students' perceptions, teachers' self-reports, evaluations of videotaped classroom science teaching, and expert ratings? and (2) Can students' perceptions and attitudes and teachers' self-reports be used as acceptable surrogate measures for videotaped interactive constructivist science teaching? Findings suggest that instruments based on social constructivism do not completely and accurately document science teaching based on interactive-constructivist assumptions.
The Effect Of A Teacher Enhancement Project Designed To Promote Interactive-Constructivist Teaching Strategies In Elementary School Science On Students' Perceptions And Attitudes., John Dunkhase, Brian Hand, James Shymansky, Larry Yore
The Effect Of A Teacher Enhancement Project Designed To Promote Interactive-Constructivist Teaching Strategies In Elementary School Science On Students' Perceptions And Attitudes., John Dunkhase, Brian Hand, James Shymansky, Larry Yore
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
This study takes place within the context of the Science: Parents, Activities, and Literature (Science PALS) project and examines elementary school students' reactions to instruction implemented by teachers participating in this special problem-centered professional development program. The study focuses on student perceptions of their science instruction and student attitudes toward science learning as a function of their exposure to interactive, constructivist teaching strategies designed to focus on student ideas, utilization of literature connections, and incorporation of parents as partners. Using student perceptions and attitudes as dependent variables, teacher participation as the main independent variable, and grade levels and student gender …
Valuing Science Content: Science Is A Basic Skill For Everyone, James Shymansky, D. Wayne Green
Valuing Science Content: Science Is A Basic Skill For Everyone, James Shymansky, D. Wayne Green
Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works
The intent of this yearbook is to provide a positive posture for nurturing desirable changes in the status of science teaching. It is written for elementary school teachers and all who are involved or concerned with curriculum and instruction in the elementary school. The yearbook provides the basis for continued professional growth of teachers by stressing ways to logically and realistically infuse science and science-related instructions into schools and to assure that science will remain valued as new patterns of schooling evolve. As a means of promoting science relevancy and literacy, interfaces between science teaching and other areas of human …