Education Commons^™

A Philosophical Analysis Of Chet Bowers’ Ethical Theory Of Ecojustice: Shifting Towards Uncertainty Thinking In Science Education, Michael Paul Mueller

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze Chet Bowers’ ethical theory of ecojustice as the basis of an ecological philosophy of education that recognizes Earth’s uncertainty. Bowers’ main thesis is that the commons, or what were once shared by members of the community, should be strengthened by education reforms based on ecojustice criteria. He argues for certain ideologies of the local authority of the commons, “Western” science and scientists, and the “ecological crisis.” I argue that these certainties are uncertain, which justifies part certainty as deciphered by local people in places, in relation to others. Further, I develop a …

Identifying The Processes Of Teacher Application And Adoption Of A Novel Instructional Strategy, Jennifer Kathryn Richards

Doctoral Dissertations

Research on adolescent learning shows that students learn best when they are actively engaged with the content and when metacognitive teaching strategies are employed. Despite these findings, current studies show that most classrooms are still teacher centered and that passive learning strategies are the norm. To help teachers incorporate highly effective instructional strategies into their classrooms countless professional development workshops are offered each; yet most of these workshops fail to effect true change in the classroom behavior of teachers.

The design of this study compares teachers’ attempts to employ new instructional strategies within the context of a model curriculum with …