Education Commons^™

Deaf Children’S Science Content Learning In Direct Instruction Versus Interpreted Instruction, Kim B. Kurz, Brenda Schick, Peter C. Hauser

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

This research study compared learning of 6-9th grade deaf students under two modes of educational delivery – interpreted vs. direct instruction using science lessons. Nineteen deaf students participated in the study in which they were taught six science lessons in American Sign Language. In one condition, the lessons were taught by a hearing teacher in English and were translated in ASL via a professional and certified interpreter. In the second condition, the lessons were taught to the students in ASL by a deaf teacher. All students saw three lessons delivered via an interpreter and three different lessons in direct ASL; …

Narrating International And National Trends In Us Science Education: An Autobiographical Approach Showcasing Dr. Robert Yager, Geeta Verma, Lisa Martin-Hansen

Geeta Verma

This biographical piece is based on a conversation involving Bob Yager, Geeta Verma, and Lisa Martin-Hansen which took place at the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) conference in March, 2008. The unique aspect of this autobiographical piece is that it highlights Dr. Yager's account about the emergence of the science education field of study and his engagement with the field over a period of more than 50 years. The piece is organized using conversation topics through a biographical narrative format that starts at the beginning of Dr. Yager's career, establishing science education at The University of Iowa, …

Using Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning (Sotl) To Inquire Into Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Lesson Planning Considerations, Geeta Verma

Geeta Verma

This paper shares my experiences with the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) framework in my university science methods course. Incorporating SoTL not only enabled me to inquire into my own teaching as a scholarly activity but also engaged my students in critical reflections. I used the principles and characteristics of SoTL to design this inquiry by a) creating a new instructional framework for lesson planning; b) facilitating students’ reflections on their experiences with the new framework; and c) documenting and presenting this inquiry as a scholarly activity. Forty-eight pre service teachers (N = 48), 43 women and 5 men …

Motivating Students To Learn Science: A Physicist’S Perspective, Mark P. Silverman

Faculty Scholarship

The objective of this article is to make explicit some concrete ways in which an accurate perspective of what science is contributes significantly to improving science teaching. Effective science teaching begins with the recognition that for both practising scientists and students the desire to find answers to personally meaningful questions about natural phenomena is the strongest incentive to study science. Instructional methods that nurture and draw upon the curiosity of students have the best chance to motivate students to learn science. Teaching in this way entails helping students 1) to see the conceptual relevance, utility, and aesthetic dimension of what …

Development Of The Setis Instrument To Measure Teachers' Self-Efficacy To Teach Science In An Integrated Stem Framework, Monica Clutch Mobley

Doctoral Dissertations

Integrated STEM teaching and learning has gained increased attention in recent years as schools try to prepare students for 21^st century careers. Goals of integrated STEM teaching are in alignment with goals of science education reform efforts as evident in recent document such as the Next Generation Science Standards (Achieve, Inc., 2013) and efforts are underway to encourage science instruction from within an integrated STEM framework. Teaching science content in an integrated STEM context is a complex act placing great cognitive and emotional demands on teachers, many of whom lack experience with this manner of teaching and may also …

Investigating The Effects Of Cognitive Apprenticeship-Based Instructional Coaching On Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs, Teo O.H. Cooper

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The overall purpose of this collected papers dissertation was to examine the utility of a cognitive apprenticeship-based instructional coaching (CAIC) model for improving the science teaching efficacy beliefs (STEB) of preservice and inservice elementary teachers. Many of these teachers perceive science as a difficult subject and feel inadequately prepared to teach it. However, teacher efficacy beliefs have been noted as the strongest indicator of teacher quality, the variable most highly correlated with student achievement outcomes. The literature is scarce on strong, evidence-based theoretical models for improving STEB.

This dissertation is comprised of two studies. STUDY #1 was a sequential …

What I Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda Learned In Science Class”: Black American Boys’ Narratives Of Past Science Teachers And Visions For A Culturally Responsive Science Teacher, Althea Hoard

Catalyst: A Social Justice Forum

This study follows three Black American, high school boys who participated in a “Men in STEM” book club in an urban school in New York City. Through narrative analysis, the boys describe their vision for a culturally responsive science teacher and connections are made between the boys’ experiences with science teachers and interest in STEM careers. 20 10^th grade Black American boys joined the “Men in STEM” book club and three participants are highlighted due to their differing interests in pursuing a STEM major in college. By triangulation of semi-structured interviews, two open-ended questionnaires, and researcher field notes, four …