Showing papers in "School Science and Mathematics in 2015"
TL;DR: In this paper, a sample of preservice elementary teachers engaged in a semester-long science content course, using Bandura's concept of SE as a conceptual framework, showed significant increases in science self-efficacy on both subscales (personal efficacy and outcome expectancy).
Abstract: Academic science achievement of U.S. students has raised concerns regarding our ability as a nation to compete in a global economy. Additionally, research has shown that many elementary teachers have weak science content backgrounds and had poor/negative experiences as students of science, resulting in a lack of confidence regarding teaching science. However, efforts to increase science self-efficacy (SE) in preservice teachers can help to combat these issues. This study looked at a sample of preservice elementary teachers engaged in a semester-long science content course, using Bandura's concept of SE as a conceptual framework. Our quantitative data showed significant increases in science SE on both subscales (personal efficacy and outcome expectancy). Our qualitative data showed that students communicated an increased sense of confidence with regard to the discipline of science. In addition, students reported learning science pedagogy through the instructor's modeling. Combining our findings resulted in several meta-inferences, one of which showed students growing as both confident learners of science and teachers of science simultaneously. We created a construct new to the literature to describe this phenomenon: “teacher-learner,” for students are both learning science and learning to teach science simultaneously through the content course experience, resulting in increased science SE.
43 citations
TL;DR: The authors conducted a study at an innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics high school, providing a rich contextual description of the teaching and learning at the school, specifically focusing on problem solving and inquiry approaches, and students' motivation, social interactions, and collaborative work.
Abstract: This study was conducted at an innovative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics high school, providing a rich contextual description of the teaching and learning at the school, specifically focusing on problem solving and inquiry approaches, and students' motivation, social interactions, and collaborative work. Data were collected through interviews with teachers and students, classroom observations, school meetings, school design and planning efforts, student surveys, and student standardized test scores. We saw that the teaching and learning at the school were typically inquiry and problem based and that student motivation, collaboration, and social interactions were strong due to the environment of inquiry and problem-based teaching and learning.
43 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that future after-school programs focusing on aspects of attitudes toward science most closely associated with gains in content knowledge might improve students' enthusiasm and academic preparedness for additional science coursework by improving student attitudes towards their perceptions of their self-directed effort.
Abstract: High-quality after-school programs devoted to science have the potential to enhance students' science knowledge and attitudes, which may impact their decisions about pursuing science-related careers. Due to the unique nature of these informal learning environments, an understanding of the relationships among aspects of students' content knowledge acquisition and attitudes toward science may aid in the development of effective science-related interventions. We investigated the impact of a semester-long after-school intervention utilizing an inquiry-based infectious diseases curriculum (designed for use after-school) on 63 urban students' content knowledge and aspects of their attitudes towards science. Content knowledge increased 24.6% from pre- to posttest. Multiple regression analyses indicated suggested that the "self-directed effort" subscale of the Simpson-Troost Attitude Questionnaire - Revised best predicted increases in students' science content knowledge. The construct "science is fun for me" served as a suppressor effect. These findings suggest that future after-school programs focusing on aspects of attitudes toward science most closely associated with gains in content knowledge might improve students' enthusiasm and academic preparedness for additional science coursework by improving student attitudes towards their perceptions of their self-directed effort.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a mixed-methods study attempted to identify characteristics of professional development (PD) that will support NGSS adoption and to improve teacher readiness, and found that teachers identified engineering most frequently as a PD need to improve their NGSS readiness.
Abstract: Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) science and engineering practices are ways of eliciting the reasoning and applying foundational ideas in science. As research has revealed barriers to states and schools adopting the NGSS, this mixed-methods study attempts to identify characteristics of professional development (PD) that will support NGSS adoption and to improve teacher readiness. In-service science teachers from across the nation were targeted for the survey and responses represented 38 states. Research questions included: How motivated and prepared are in-service 7–12 teachers to use NGSS science and engineering practices? What is the profile of 7–12 in-service teachers who are motivated and feel prepared to use NGSS science and engineering practices? The study revealed that teachers identified engineering most frequently as a PD need to improve their NGSS readiness. High school teachers rated themselves as more prepared than middle school and all teachers who use Modeling Instruction expressed higher NGSS readiness. These findings and their specificity contribute to current knowledge, and can be utilized by districts in selecting PD to support teachers in preparing to implement the NGSS successfully.
37 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors developed, scale, and validate assessments in engineering, science, and mathematics with grade appropriate items that were sensitive to the curriculum developed by teachers and used item response theory to assess item functioning.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop, scale, and validate assessments in engineering, science, and mathematics with grade appropriate items that were sensitive to the curriculum developed by teachers. The use of item response theory to assess item functioning was a focus of the study. The work is part of a larger project focused on increasing student learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related areas in grades 4–8 through an engineering design-based, integrated approach to STEM instruction and assessment. The fact that the assessments are available to school districts at no cost, and represent psychometrically sound instruments that are sensitive to STEM-oriented curriculum, offers schools an important tool for gauging students' understanding of engineering, science, and mathematics concepts.
32 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the science self-efficacy beliefs of students at the transition from elementary school (Grade 6) to middle school (grade 7) and from middle school to high school(Grade 9) and found that females and Hispanic students had lower scores across grades as compared to males and Caucasians.
Abstract: This study examined the science self-efficacy beliefs of students at the transition from elementary school (Grade 6) to middle school (Grade 7) and the transition from middle school (Grade 8) to high school (Grade 9). The purpose was to determine whether students' perceived competence is impacted at these important school transitions and if the effect is mediated by gender and ethnicity. Science self-efficacy was measured through a modified Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Children, which was adapted to focus specifically on science self-efficacy. Multiple ordinary least squares regression was used to analyze the data. Two models were developed, one using ninth grade as the comparison group and the other using sixth grade as the comparison group. In each model, the independent variables (grade level, gender, and ethnicity) were regressed on the dependent variable, science self-efficacy. The most striking finding was the large and significant decline in science self-efficacy scores for ninth graders at the transition to high school. We also found that females and Hispanic students had lower scores across grades as compared to males and Caucasians. How these results relate to existing studies, and implications for practice and future research are discussed.
27 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the ways in which exploring mathematics in informal sites, and in particular science museum, assist teachers with making connections between school mathematics and its applications in real world.
Abstract: The Common Core Standard for Mathematical Practice 4: Model with Mathematics specifies that mathematically proficient students are able to make connections between school mathematics and its applications to solving real-world problems. Hence, mathematics teachers are expected to incorporate connections between mathematical concepts they teach and their applications to solving problems arising in real-world situation. Clearly, it is assumed that the teachers themselves are able to make such connections. On the other hand, research shows that mathematics teachers find it difficult to make those connections. In this paper, we present the results of the study that investigated the ways in which exploring mathematics in informal sites, and in particular science museum, assist teachers with making connections between school mathematics and its applications in real world.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the ability of online learning environments to facilitate the critical features of teacher effective professional development identified in Desimone (2009) as content focus, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation.
Abstract: Providing teachers effective professional development (PD) is an ongoing challenge in the field of education. Emergence of technological innovations in the form of computer-based asynchronous and synchronous communication has provided new opportunities to improve and expand teacher PD opportunities beyond the physical walls of a school. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the ability of online learning environments to facilitate the critical features of teacher PD identified in Desimone (2009) as content focus, active learning, coherence, duration, and collective participation. Analysis of the 20 empirical studies sought to reveal the purpose of the study, methodologies utilized, and major findings. Multiple studies indicated the ability of an online environment to engage teachers in active learning, collective participation, and content-focused learning activities. Additionally, the results of this meta-analysis revealed a lack of empirical studies that have examined the ability of online teacher PD to support the critical features of coherence and duration. Findings of this research have implications for a future research agenda and policy considerations related to online teacher PD initiatives.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used nine years of results on 4.2 million of Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) mathematics (math) exams (grades 3-10) taken after the implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCL) have been used to determine gender gaps and their associated trends.
Abstract: Nine years of results on 4.2 million of Indiana's Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) mathematics (math) exams (grades 3–10) taken after the implementation of No Child Left Behind have been used to determine gender gaps and their associated trends. Sociocultural factors were investigated by comparing math gender gaps and gap trends for (a) state public schools, (b) state nonpublic schools, (c) a low-performing metropolitan school, and (d) a high-performing suburban school. To control for changing sociocultural factors, multiregression analyses were conducted to predict grade-level (3–10) gender gaps and math scale scores using socioeconomic and ethnicity variables. The underrepresentation of females in earning advanced STEM degrees was investigated by determining the gender of the highest performer on the ISTEP math exams in grades 3–10 for each of state's 292 school corporations. Boys' percentages were higher across all grades by about a 2:1 ratio, similar to high-end results on Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) math exams. Simulations of distributions for d = .27 and variance ratio = 1.13 fitted 2013 college-bound SAT math empirical data. Results of the analyses of the state's ISTEP math exam data and the 2013 SAT math scores of college-bound seniors support the arguments that girls and young women possess the abilities to pursue STEM careers that require advanced mathematical skills.
20 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the development of a problem-solving instrument intended for classroom use that addresses the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CSM-2015) for 6th grade students.
Abstract: This article describes the development of a problem-solving instrument intended for classroom use that addresses the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. In this study, 137 students completed the assessment, and their responses were analyzed. Evidence for validity was collected and examined using the current standards for educational and psychological testing. Instrument validation findings regarding internal consistency reliability were high, and multiple forms of validity (i.e., content, response processes, internal structure, relationship to other variables, and consequences of testing) were found to be appropriate. The resulting instrument provides teachers and researchers with a sound tool to gather data about sixth-grade students' problem solving in the Common Core era.
20 citations
TL;DR: The authors compared the characteristics of second graders' mathematical writing between an intervention and comparison group and found that the high and low-level intervention subgroups outperformed the comparison group in their ability to provide reasoning, attempt to use formal mathematical vocabulary, and correctly use formal mathematics vocabulary in their writing.
Abstract: This study compared the characteristics of second graders' mathematical writing between an intervention and comparison group. Two six-week Project M2 units were implemented with students in the intervention group. The units position students to communicate in ways similar to mathematicians, including engaging in verbal discourse where they themselves make sense of the mathematics through discussion and debate, writing about their reasoning on an ongoing basis, and utilizing mathematical vocabulary while communicating in any medium. Students in the comparison group learned from the regular school curriculum. Students in both the intervention and comparison groups conveyed high and low levels of content knowledge as indicated in archived data from an open-response end-of-the-year assessment. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated several differences favoring the intervention group. Both the high- and low-level intervention subgroups outperformed the comparison group in their ability to (a) provide reasoning, (b) attempt to use formal mathematical vocabulary, and (c) correctly use formal mathematical vocabulary in their writing. The low-level intervention subgroup also outperformed the respective comparison subgroup in their use of (a) complete sentences and (b) linking words. There were no differences between groups in their attempt at writing and attempts at and usage of informal mathematical vocabulary.
TL;DR: The Science, Engineering, and Technology Gateway of Ohio (SETGO) program has a three-pronged approach to meeting the needs at different levels of students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The Science, Engineering, and Technology Gateway of Ohio (SETGO) program has a three-pronged approach to meeting the needs at different levels of students in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline. The SETGO program was an extensive collaboration between a two-year community college and a nearby four-year institution. Two of these approaches, the STEM Summer Research Program and Owens Ready Bridge, have been found to be effective in significantly increasing participants' beliefs and attitudes for both males and females. Participants cite integrative learning activities, mentoring, and small group interactions as some reasons for their growth. This study utilized a mixed-method approach to better understand the reasons for participant and program success. After five years of evaluation of the SETGO program, findings suggest that students feel more confident not only in their preparation for the rigors of a STEM degree, but also in their decisions to complete the degree.
TL;DR: This article examined the differences in presentation of fractions in conventional and standards-based textbooks and how these differences align with the recommendations of National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Common Core State Standards, and the research on the teaching and learning of fractions.
Abstract: In the United States, fractions are an important part of the middle school curriculum, yet many middle school students struggle with fraction concepts. Teachers also have difficulty with the conceptual understanding needed to teach fractions and rely on textbooks when making instructional decisions. This reliance on textbooks, the idea that teaching and learning of fractions is a complex process, and that fraction understanding is the foundation for later topics such as proportionality, algebra, and probability, makes it important to examine the variation in presentation of fraction concepts in U.S. textbooks, especially the difference between traditional and standards-based curricula. The purpose of this study is to determine if differences exist in the presentation of fractions in conventional and standards-based textbooks and how these differences align with the recommendations of National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Common Core State Standards, and the research on the teaching and learning of fractions.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe large-scale, urban elementary-focused science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) collaboration between a large urban school district, various STEM-focused community stakeholders, and a research-focused private university.
Abstract: The new standards for K–12 science education suggest that student learning should be more integrated and should focus on crosscutting concepts and core ideas from the areas of physical science, life science, Earth/space science, and engineering/technology. This paper describes large-scale, urban elementary-focused science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) collaboration between a large urban school district, various STEM-focused community stakeholders, and a research-focused private university. The collaboration includes the development of an integrated STEM curriculum for grade K–5 with accompanying teacher professional development. This mixed-methodology study describes findings from focus group interviews and a survey of teachers from Title I elementary schools. Findings suggest the importance of the following critical features of professional development: (a) coherence, (b) content focus, (c) active learning, (d) collective participation, and (e) duration to the success of large-scale STEM urban elementary school reform
TL;DR: The authors examined how using a writers' workshop model in mathematics creates a space for students to write about their mathematical thinking and problem solving and how their writing impacts instruction and found that students used writing to demonstrate their understanding of mathematics and show their mathematical processes.
Abstract: In this study, I examine how using a writers' workshop model in mathematics creates a space for students to write about their mathematical thinking and problem solving and how their writing impacts instruction. This case study of one classroom with one teacher spanned 6 weeks and included 18 implementations of an adapted version of the Writers' Workshop (WW) in a fourth-grade mathematics class. On a biweekly basis, the data were reviewed and changes made to the model. The analysis of the students' writing revealed (a) their understandings and misunderstandings of the mathematical content, (b) their readiness for more challenging tasks, and (c) their connections to prior knowledge. Students used writing to demonstrate their understanding of mathematics and show their mathematical processes. In some cases, examining only the numerical work failed to illuminate the students' understanding, their writing provided deeper insight. Students recognized writing as a tool for learning; this was evident in interview responses.
TL;DR: Investigation of a curriculum module that uses animal and human health scientists and science concepts to portray science and scientists in a relevant and authentic manner found it contributed positively to student attitudes toward science, decreased students' stereotypical images of scientists, and increased student aspirations to become a scientist.
Abstract: This study examined to what extent a curriculum module that uses animal and human health scientists and science concepts to portray science and scientists in a relevant and authentic manner could enhance elementary students' aspiration for science careers, attitudes to science, positive perceptions of scientists, and perceived relevance of science. The curriculum was developed by a research-based university program and has been put into practice in two early elementary classrooms in an urban school in the Midwest. An attitudinal rating survey and the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) were used to assess pre to post changes in student attitudes toward science, perceptions of scientists, perceived relevance of science, and aspiration for science careers. Findings indicated that the implementation of this curriculum contributed positively to student attitudes toward science, decreased students' stereotypical images of scientists, and increased student aspirations to become a scientist.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the ways in which a 12-week after-school science and engineering program affected middle school students' motivation to engage in science activities and identified motivating opportunities that were provided to students during the activities.
Abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which a 12-week afterschool science and engineering program affected middle school students' motivation to engage in science and engineering activities. We used current motivation research and theory as a conceptual framework to assess 14 students' motivation through questionnaires, structured interviews, and observations. Students reported that during the activities they perceived that they were empowered to make choices in how to complete things, the activities were useful to them, they could succeed in the activities, they enjoyed and were interested in the hands-on activities and some presentations, they felt cared for by the facilitators and received help when they were stuck or confused, and they put forth effort. Based on our examination of data across our three data sources, we identified motivating opportunities that were provided to students during the activities. These motivating opportunities can serve as examples to help both formal and informal science educators better connect motivation theory to practice so that they can create motivating opportunities for students. Furthermore, this study provides a methodological example of how students' motivation can be examined during the context of authentic science and engineering instruction.
TL;DR: The Mathematics Infusion into Science Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, developed a middle school mathematics-infused science curriculum with over 1,200 students and evaluated the effects of this curriculum on students' mathematics learning.
Abstract: Increasing mathematical competencies of American students has been a focus for educators, researchers, and policy makers alike. One purported approach to increase student learning is through connecting mathematics and science curricula. Yet there is a lack of research examining the impact of making these connections. The Mathematics Infusion into Science Project, funded by the National Science Foundation, developed a middle school mathematics-infused science curriculum. Twenty teachers utilized this curriculum with over 1,200 students. The current research evaluated the effects of this curriculum on students' mathematics learning and compared effects to students who did not receive the curriculum. Students who were taught the infusion curriculum showed a significant increase in mathematical content scores when compared with the control students.
TL;DR: For instance, the authors found that elementary students with high mathematics motivation value mathematics as a present and future oriented discipline and value teachers that deemphasize testing as a measure of success.
Abstract: This paper presents the results of a multi-method study examining elementary students with high self-reported levels of mathematics motivation. Second- through fifth-grade students at a Title One school in the southeastern United States completed the Elementary Mathematics Motivation Instrument (EMMI), which examines levels of mathematics motivation across three subscales: (a) Math Anxiety, (b) Self-Efficacy, and (c) Value of Math. Results from this quantitative phase were used to identify a sample for a qualitative phase examining how students who report high levels of motivation perceive mathematics. The resulting qualitative phase utilized a phenomenological design to explore mathematics motivation for a particular set of students in a fifth-grade setting. Findings indicate that elementary students with high mathematics motivation value mathematics as a present and future oriented discipline and value teachers that deemphasize testing as a measure of success.
TL;DR: The authors explored differences between mathematics and science teachers in terms of their levels of mathematical proof, as well as correlational trends that inform their confidence across these levels, and discussed the implications particularly for teacher training and preparation within the context of an integrated STEM education model.
Abstract: The recent trend to unite mathematically related disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) under the broader umbrella of STEM education has advantages. In this new educational context of integration, however, STEM teachers need to be able to distinguish between sufficient proof and reasoning across different disciplines, particularly between the status of inductive and deductive modes of reasoning in mathematics. Through a specific set of mathematical conjectures, researchers explored differences between mathematics (n = 24) and science (n = 23) teachers' reasoning schemes, as well as the confidence they had in their justifications. Results from the study indicate differences between the two groups in terms of their levels of mathematical proof, as well as correlational trends that inform their confidence across these levels. Implications particularly for teacher training and preparation within the context of an integrated STEM education model are discussed.
TL;DR: The authors investigated whether mixture Rasch models followed by qualitative item-by-item analysis of selected Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics and science items offered insight into knowledge students invoke in Mathematics and Science separately and combined.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mixture Rasch models followed by qualitative item-by-item analysis of selected Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) mathematics and science items offered insight into knowledge students invoke in mathematics and science separately and combined. The researchers administered an assessment constructed from PISA released items to 516 15-year-old middle school students in China. The findings suggest that while PISA attributes showed promise for providing insight into how students were classified in mathematics and science, when combined these attributes were not found. Our findings suggest that students do not seem to be applying attribute strengths to the dataset as a whole (i.e., mathematics and science items combined) in ways that differentiate them from students who appear weaker for those attributes.
TL;DR: The findings suggest that students engaged in food-based science activities provided them with the context in which to apply mathematical concepts to an everyday experience, and therefore, the FoodMASTER approach was successful at improving students' mathematics knowledge while building a foundation for becoming quantitatively literate adults.
Abstract: This article addresses the current state of the mathematics education system in the United States and provides a possible solution to the contributing issues. As a result of lower performance in primary mathematics, American students are not acquiring the necessary quantitative literacy skills to become successful adults. This study analyzed the impact of the FoodMASTER Intermediate curriculum on fourth-grade student's mathematics knowledge. The curriculum is a part of the FoodMASTER Initiative, which is a compilation of programs utilizing food, a familiar and necessary part of everyday life, as a tool to teach mathematics and science. Students exposed to the curriculum completed a 20-item researcher-developed mathematics knowledge exam (Intervention n=288; Control n=194). Overall, the results showed a significant increase in mathematics knowledge from pre- to post-test. These findings suggest that students engaged in food-based science activities provided them with the context in which to apply mathematical concepts to an everyday experience. Therefore, the FoodMASTER approach was successful at improving students' mathematics knowledge while building a foundation for becoming quantitatively literate adults.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated sixth-grade middle-level students' geometric spatial development by gender and race within and between control and experimental groups at two middle schools as they participated in an Earth/Space unit.
Abstract: This study investigated sixth-grade middle-level students' geometric spatial development by gender and race within and between control and experimental groups at two middle schools as they participated in an Earth/Space unit. The control group utilized a regular Earth/Space curriculum and the experimental group used a National Aeronautics and Space Administration-based curriculum. The quantitative data sources included the Lunar Phases Concept Inventory, Geometric Spatial Assessment, and the Purdue Spatial Visualization–Rotation Test. The results indicated the experimental males and females, and the students of color and white students in the experimental group showed significant gains in their understanding of geometric spatial visualization from pre- to post-implementation. However, for the control group, the significant gains were limited to the males and the white students. The findings reveal that support is needed for males, females, and all racial groups to have the opportunity to develop their spatial reasoning, which in turn, increases students' scientific understanding.
TL;DR: In this paper, a case study was conducted to understand how a beginning biology teacher (Alice) designed and taught a 5E unit on natural selection, how the unit changed when she took a position in a different school district, and why the changes occurred.
Abstract: The purpose of this three-year case study was to understand how a beginning biology teacher (Alice) designed and taught a 5E unit on natural selection, how the unit changed when she took a position in a different school district, and why the changes occurred. We examined Alice's developing beliefs about science teaching and learning, practical knowledge, and perceptions of school context in relation to the 5E unit. Data sources consisted of interviews, classroom observations, and lesson materials. We found that Alice placed more emphasis on the explore phase, less emphasis on the engage and explain phases, and removed the elaborate phase over time. Alice's beliefs about science teaching and learning acted as a filter for making sense of practical knowledge and perceptions of context. Although her beliefs were student centered, they aligned with discovery learning in which little intervention from the teacher is required. We discuss how her beliefs, practical knowledge, and perceptions of context explained the changes in her practice. This study sheds insight into the nature of beliefs and how they relate to the 5E lesson phases, as well as the different lenses for viewing the 5E instructional model. Implications for science teacher preparation and induction programs are discussed.
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the literature associated with secondary and postsecondary students' ideas about acids and bases was conducted, and it was found that there are six types of alternate ideas about acid and base that students hold: macroscopic properties, microscopic properties of acids and base, neutralization, acid strength, pH, and titration.
Abstract: Knowing what students bring to the classroom can and should influence how we teach them. This study is a review of the literature associated with secondary and postsecondary students' ideas about acids and bases. It was found that there are six types of alternate ideas about acids and bases that students hold. These are: macroscopic properties of acids and bases, microscopic properties of acids and bases, neutralization, acid strength, pH, and titration.
TL;DR: This article investigated the opinions of preservice and in-service teachers on how they intend to teach or currently teach science and identified three epistemologies toward teaching science: A Changing World, My Beliefs, and Tried and True.
Abstract: Creating scientifically literate students is a common goal among educational stakeholders. An understanding of nature of science is an important component of scientific literacy in K-12 science education. Q methodology was used to investigate the opinions of preservice and in-service teachers on how they intend to teach or currently teach science. Q methodology is a measurement tool designed to capture personal beliefs. Participants included 40 preservice and in-service elementary and secondary science teachers who sorted 40 self-referential statements regarding science instruction. The results identified three epistemologies toward teaching science: A Changing World, My Beliefs, and Tried and True. Participants with the A Changing World epistemology believe evidence is reliable, scientific knowledge is generated in multiple ways, and science changes in light of new evidence. The My Beliefs epistemology reflects that scientific knowledge is subject to change due to embedded bias, science is affected by culture and religion, and evolution should not be taught in the classroom. The Tried and True epistemology views a scientific method as an exact method to prove science, believes experiments are crucial for scientific discoveries, absolute truth exists in scientific knowledge, and society and cultural factors can be eliminated from investigations. Implications for preservice teacher education programs and in-service teacher professional development are addressed.
TL;DR: The authors found that 52% of the middle grades geometry CCSSM learning expectations will be new to the respective grade level at which they are taught in at least six of the eight states analyzed in this study.
Abstract: The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) is a primary focus of attention for many stakeholders' (e.g., teachers, district mathematics leaders, and curriculum developers) intent on improving mathematics education. This article reports on specific content shifts related to the geometry domain in the middle grades (6–8) mathematics curriculum. The methodology employed allows for comparisons of content across multiple standards documents. We report on some dramatic changes with regards to the geometry content taught in the middle grades. We found 52% of the middle grades geometry CCSSM learning expectations will be new to the respective grade level at which they are taught in at least six of the eight states analyzed in this study (57% in grade 6, 50% in grade 7, and 50% in grade 8). We also highlight three areas that represent “new” geometry content at the middle grades based on our analysis of CCSSM and pre-CCSSM state standards.
TL;DR: The authors focused on intensive work within a large, urban, low-performing middle school in the southwest to address and transform teacher beliefs regarding the role of culture within their science pedagogy.
Abstract: This study focused on intensive work within a large, urban, low-performing middle school in the southwest to address and transform teacher beliefs regarding the role of culture within their science pedagogy. Given the recent, rapid growth of numbers of students from Hispanic/Latino(a) backgrounds in the United States, it is critical that a paradigm shift takes place within schools and existing beliefs of science teachers to address the needs of a much changed classroom. This study details the journey of middle-school teachers who were provided support and experiences targeted at addressing their existing beliefs regarding the role of culture and the growth and change that were achieved through a science education reform effort. Implications for further research will be discussed, including the need for attention to beliefs regarding culture are shared.
TL;DR: This paper developed a science-specific instrument to explore associations between school-level variables and equitable science performance, inspired by James Coleman's tripartite notion of social capital: the "wealth" of organizations is encompassed within their social norms, informational channels, and reciprocating relationships.
Abstract: There is the tendency to explain away successful urban schools as indicative of the heroic efforts by a tireless individual, effectively blaming schools that underperform for a lack of grit and dedication. This study reports the development of a research instrument (School Science Infrastructure, or SSI) and then applying that tool to an investigation of equitable science performance by elementary schools. Our efforts to develop a science-specific instrument to explore associations between school-level variables and equitable science performance are informed by James Coleman's tripartite notion of social capital: the “wealth” of organizations is encompassed within their social norms, informational channels, and reciprocating relationships. Grounded in school effectiveness research and social capital theory, the instrument that we report on here is a valid and reliable tool to support meso-level investigations of factors contributing to school variations in science achievement.