Department: Teaching and Learning ![[clear]](close-x.png "Remove this limiter")
94 matches in the database.
These are records: 1 - 30.
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1.
Acikalin, Mehmet.
The influence of computer-supported instruction (CSI) on the principles of constructivist pedagogy in the social studies curriculum.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► Social studies educators increasingly support use of computer-supported instruction to transform social…
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▼ Social studies educators increasingly support use of computer-supported instruction to transform social studies education from a traditional mode to a more constructivist, student-centered, and active mode. However, more detailed research analyzing the effectiveness of computer integration and investigating of the extent to which computer-supported instruction can transform social studies instruction to a more constructivist and student-centered pedagogy is needed. This study was therefore designed to examine the use of computer-supported instructional strategies and to investigate the influence of these strategies on the principles of constructivist pedagogy in social studies education. A qualitative case study approach was employed for this study to gain an in-depth description and understanding of this phenomenon. Four social studies teachers who use computer-supported instructional strategies in their teaching practices were selected for this study. The data were collected from interviews and classroom observations. The following themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) the Internet and software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint were the most common uses of computer-supported instruction, while other software programs were rarely used in the observed classrooms; (b) the lack of computers and software, teachers’ lack of proficiency with various software programs, and limits on the time available in the curriculum were the major problems that prevented the participant teachers from not using computer-supported instructional strategies more frequently; and (c) although computer technologies have the potential to support the principles of constructivist pedagogy in the social studies classroom, whether these technologies are used effectively depends entirely on the quality of the instructional design which is formed by the teacher.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tyson, Cynthia A.
Keywords: Computer-supported instruction, Constructivism, Social studies
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2.
Adadan, Emine.
Promoting high school students' conceptual understandings of the particulate nature of matter through multiple representations.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► This study mainly explored the efficacy of the two instructional interventions, namely…
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▼ This study mainly explored the efficacy of the two instructional interventions, namely Reform-Based Teaching with Multiple Representations (RBTw/MR) and Reform-Based Teaching (RBT) on stimulating change in students’ conceptual understandings of the particulate nature of matter (PNM) and maintaining those scientific understandings constructed during the instruction over a three-month period. In this context, this study also examined the RBTw/MR and RBT students’ types of conceptual understandings of the PNM before, immediately after and three-months after the interventions. This study was conducted in two introductory level chemistry classes of a suburban high school. The participants of the study included a total of 42 students who were enrolled in one of the two classes of the chemistry teacher who taught both of the classes. Both the RBTw/MR and the RBT group students were engaged in the same activities with the same sequence of experiences. However, the RBTw/MR instruction differed from the RBT instruction in terms of the frequency of using the multiple representations in relationship to the macroscopic phenomenon and the likely actions that occur at the submicroscopic level. A quasi-experimental control group research design with a pretest, posttest, and delayed posttest was employed by incorporating qualitative data collection and analysis methods. In order to assess students’ conceptual understanding of the PNM, the open-ended questionnaire, namely Nature of Matter Diagnostic Questions, was administered to both groups just before, immediately after and three months after the instructional interventions. Fifteen of the 42 students were also interviewed following the posttest. The results of the study revealed the positive short- and long-term learning impacts on the RBTw/MR students’ conceptual understandings of the PNM. Before the instruction, a majority of students in both groups (82.6%, RBTw/MR; 73.7%, RBT) held nonscientific types of conceptual understandings of the PNM. Immediately following the instruction, 52.1% of the RBTw/MR students held the types of conceptual understandings of either scientific or scientific fragments. Three months after the instruction, 34.8% of the RBTw/MR students held onto their scientific conceptual understandings of the PNM, only 15.8% of the RBT students’ conceptual understandings of the PNM differed from their initial type of conceptual understandings.
Advisors/Committee Members: TRUNDLE, KATHY C.
Keywords: secondary education; high school students; conceptual change learning; science education; particulate nature of matter
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3.
Al-Asmari, Ali M.
The use of the internet among EFL teachers at the Colleges of Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Because of its far reaching impact on many aspects and functions of…
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▼ Because of its far reaching impact on many aspects and functions of educational institutions and its potential benefits for educators, the Internet has been the topic of much interest within the educational community. Ways of using the Internet as a medium to deliver instructional materials and to access digital libraries are reshaping how college campuses function, including the creation of virtual campuses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the Internet by teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Saudi Arabian colleges of technology. A secondary purpose was to explore the relationship of teachers’ use of the Internet with a selected set of variables. These variables included EFL teachers’ personal characteristics, their level of access to the Internet, their perceived computer and Internet expertise, and their perceptions of the Internet as a tool for instruction. This study derived its theoretical framework from Rogers’ (1995) model of diffusion of innovations. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to collect data on the population. A questionnaire was developed and distributed to all EFL teachers (N=203) in the four main colleges of technology in Saudi Arabia (located in Riyadh, Abha, Jeddah, and Dammam) during the 2004-2005 academic year. Validity and reliability were established for the survey instrument. The return rate of the survey was 81%. The survey stage was followed by phone interviews with a random sample of 15 teachers. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative domains of the study indicated that the participants had rarely used the Internet, particularly for instructional purposes. Indeed, they reported more use of the Internet for personal than for instructional purposes. Participants had high levels of Internet use in mainstream Internet services such as e-mail and the World Wide Web. While they had positive perceptions of the use of the Internet as a pedagogical tool, they had relatively limited levels of access to and expertise with computers and the Internet. Positive correlations existed between teachers’ level of use of the Internet and five independent variables, including computer and Internet expertise, place of access to the Internet, perceptions of the Internet, computer experience, and Internet experience. Multiple regression analysis indicated that only expertise, place of access, and Internet experience had a significant predictive value of teachers’ use of the Internet. The results indicated that approximately 39% of the variance in Internet use was explained by the independent variables included in this study. A major conclusion of the study was that to increase Internet use, EFL teachers need to be given more Internet training. In-service training needs to be a top priority, with a primary focus on using the Internet as a tool for teaching and learning. Also, based on the study’s findings, it was recommended that policy-makers maintain EFL teachers’ positive perceptions of the pedagogical use of the Internet by spending more money on increasing the computer infrastructure in the colleges of technology in Saudi Arabia, on improving Internet access and services, and on educating both teachers and students with respect to issues concerning the cultural appropriateness of materials available on the web.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hirvela, Alan R.
Subjects: Education, Technology
Keywords: Internet; Technology; EFL Teachers; ESL; English as a Foreign language; Innovation
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4.
Alexander, William A.
Workplace skills and the skills gaps related to employee critical thinking ability and science education curriculum.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2004, Ohio State University
► In recent years, business and industry have been vocal critics of education.…
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▼ In recent years, business and industry have been vocal critics of education. Critics complain the American workforce, particularly young people, are deficient in workplace skills. A survey of 500 randomly selected Ohio businesses was used to determine opinions of respondents related to workplace skills gaps, rising skill levels, and level and type of critical thinking used on the job by all employees and entry-level employees.Four of 18 science outcomes promoted by the Ohio Department of Education had an application in business and these required critical-thinking skills to complete. These four formed the foundation in the survey because they provided a connection between thinking skills required on the Ohio 12th Grade Proficiency Test and those required on the job. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to identify correlation between responses. The alpha level was p < .05. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify significant (p < .05) relationships between variables as represented by responses. In addition, one version of the Science Section of the Ohio 12th Grade Proficiency Test was analyzed for use of critical thinking using the SCAN’s critical- thinking attributes as a standard. There were several findings related to workplace skills and critical thinking. Only 17.1% of respondents indicated dissatisfaction with the basic academic skill level of their employees. A majority (71.1%) of responding businesses perceived a lack of work ethic as more important than deficient academic skills. Only 17.1% of respondents reported the skill level of their entry-level employees was rising. Approximately 1/3 of responding businesses required no critical thinking at all from their entry-level employees. Small businesses were significantly more likely to require higher levels of critical thinking from their entry level employees than larger businesses. Employers who reported rising skill levels in entry-level employees required all of their employees to exhibit critical thinking similar to that required on the four tested outcomes on the Science Section, Ohio 12th Grade Proficiency Test.
Advisors/Committee Members: White, Arthur L.
Keywords: skills; workplace skills; skills gap; critical thinking; science education; employment; business needs; proficiency testing; proficiency tests
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5.
Alidib, Zuheir A.
The effects of text genre on foreign language reading comprehension of college elementary and intermediate readers of French.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2004, Ohio State University
► The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of text…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of text genre on French language reading comprehension at two levels of college French instruction. The subjects consisted of college students enrolled in the second quarter of elementary French (French 102.01) and the second quarter of intermediate French (French 104.01) of the college French program at The Ohio State University. Subjects were rated based on their level of academic performance in their respective levels of French study. All subjects read the same two passages from twentieth century French literature (excerpts from a play and a novel). Subjects wrote an L1 free-recall protocol upon relinquishing each passage. The 48 recall protocols were scored using Johnson’s weighted prepositional analysis system (1970) and the scores were analyzed with the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure with the following design variables (a) Text genre (Play, Novel), (b) Level of language instruction (French 102, French 104), (c) Teacher assigned rating of student academic performance (Excellent, Good, Poor). The two-way (ANOVA) mixed design revealed significant effect for text genre and level of class performance but no significant main effect for the level of instruction. The ANOVA did not indicate either first-order or second-order interaction. This finding has implications for further research as well as instructional use.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hancock, Charles R.
Keywords: Text Genre; Reading Comprehension; Foreign Language
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6.
Alvarado, Beatriz Rosa.
Issues of voice and agency in Andean rural young women's education: an ethnographic study.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► While rural women’s educational needs and dilemmas have repeatedly been discussed and…
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▼ While rural women’s educational needs and dilemmas have repeatedly been discussed and numerous governmental programs have been created in an attempt to address this issue, more than one million female students living in rural areas still face daunting obstacles throughout their educational experiences. This study describes the issues of voice and agency of rural Andean female students pursuing secondary education. It explores how practices and discourses in schools and households affect their voices and agencies, as well as addressing these young women’s actions to change the status quo surrounding their lives. This ethnographic study, which is informed by the post-structuralist approach and theories of power, voice and resistance, was conducted in the Central Andean region of Perú. These young women face numerous socio-cultural and educational obstacles, including a curriculum that does not apply to their needs, unprepared teachers with low expectations for their students’ future, an educational environment that silences their voices, and a history of domestic violence and poverty. In spite of this, they are firmly determined to search for a different future in order to “become somebody,” instead of living in the oppressive patriarchal cycle that their mothers and female relatives have endured. Findings showed that the willingness to search for a different future was propelled by the socialization network they created at school, in which these young women influenced each other by sharing stories of their urban and working experiences and proving each other with mutual support. I claim that the creation of spaces for voices serve as a place where female students challenge and critique their educational condition and provide suggestions for its betterment. The young women’s “club” became an interesting platform for discussion and debate, which led to creating an empowerment zone. I conclude that in order to overcome historical dilemmas which cause paralysis of the educational system and increase social and gender gaps, it is imperative that the school community works together as a unified entity in which teachers, parents, students, and local authorities become active agents to form integral educational programs that include everybody’s voices and experiences while prioritizing a gender-sensitive educational approach.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tyson, Cynthia.
Keywords: Education; Gender Issues; Identity Construction; Agency; Voice; Andean Rural Women; Resistance; Empowerment; Peru; Discourse
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8.
Arnold-Grine, Lori E.
Laboratory schools: a critical link in facilitating and enhancing preschool teacher education.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► School reform is changing and expanding the notion of early childhood. State…
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▼ School reform is changing and expanding the notion of early childhood. State content learning standards now exist for preschool-age children. Thus, teachers must be prepared to teach at the preschool level, and teacher training programs must adapt to prepare quality preschool teachers. Field experiences are key components of teacher training programs, so it is important that they include well-organized experiences at the preschool level. Laboratory preschools offer the elements of proximity to universities and the opportunity to connect theory to practice. Lab preschools provide models of best practice, an important component of education that also serves societal interests. Exemplary models for preschool teacher training can inform educational practice and improve the field of teacher education. The purpose of this study is to show the effectiveness of preschool teacher training in a laboratory preschool setting. This study emphasizes the need for highly qualified teachers for the youngest learners. It shows that hands-on experiences and observation, key components of early childhood education, are readily accessible in a lab preschool setting. Theory to practice is actualized in the lab preschool setting if used for teaching training. This study will address what the use of lab preschools for the training of teachers can do for the early childhood field. This description of laboratory preschools with their three-fold mission will show ways to improve field experience offerings for early childhood teacher training.
Advisors/Committee Members: Fresch, Mary Jo.
Keywords: Preschool Teacher Training; Laboratory Preschools; Early Childhood Education
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9.
Arnold, Jacqualine Marshall.
Examining the experience of reader-response in an on-line environment: a study of a middle school classroom.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► Literacy is intertwined with technology usage that impacts the ways we read,…
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▼ Literacy is intertwined with technology usage that impacts the ways we read, learn, and communicate in today’s society. Computer mediated technologies, such as an on-line threaded discussion, are one example of a technology application that can be utilized to enhance a reader’s response to texts and to encourage participants to collaborate and socially co-construct their understandings. This qualitative study explored the ways that the students and teacher responded to the texts they read and discussed together in two environments. Fifth-grade students and their teacher were observed in both face-to-face group conversations and in an on-line threaded discussion environment to document their responses to literature. Analyses of the data revealed that the teacher utilized roles flexibly in response to the needs of the two different groups and in response to the environment in which they were responding. These teaching adjustments scaffolded the students’ learning according to the need of the group and the environment in which they were working. Data analysis also illustrated the students’ ownership of the questions and answers in the on-line discussion space. The research found that in this computer mediated environment the students led the conversation, posing questions and responding to each other without teacher intervention. This ThirdSpace, created through the students’ collaboration in the threaded discussion environment, encouraged students to write and respond collaboratively. This space empowered the students to take ownership of the response process. These findings illustrate the utilization of multiple contexts to enrich the responses of readers to common readings. While the teacher is an important member of the conversations, a fluctuating presence based upon the needs of the group encourages student ownership and leadership of the discussion and the responses to literature. The utilization of technology applications can create a new ThirdSpace outside of the traditional classroom environment that encourages and nurtures student leadership in the reader response process. This study makes a unique and significant contribution to the reader response literature as it examines the integration of technology in enhancing the response of readers and describes the ways in which a teacher can facilitate those responses across contexts.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scharer, Patricia L.
Keywords: Middle School; Elementary; Threaded Discussion; On-line environment; Reader Response; Technology
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10.
Bangou, Francis.
A situated approach to knowledge construction related to technology-enhanced foreign language teaching and learning for preservice teachers in a large midwestern master of education program.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2003, Ohio State University
► The purpose of this study was to investigate how a group of…
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▼ The purpose of this study was to investigate how a group of college preservice teachers constructed a knowledge base related to using technology to improve their professional practice while enrolled in a large, Midwestern University Foreign Language Master of Education program. The experiences of six preservice teachers in an initial teacher preparation program were studied in order to investigate their conceptual framework for technology-enhanced language teaching and learning. The students’ knowledge base in technology was explored through the tripartite framework of: the teacher-learner, school and schooling, and the nature of language teaching and learning (Freeman and Johnson, 1998). Ethnography is the research perspective that guided this study. Four data collection strategies were used from June 2001 to June 2002. They were observation field notes, interviews, chat room discussions, and review of written documents. The software called Non-numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching Theorizing (NUD*IST) was used to compare the data, highlight the reoccurring themes and investigate patterns in the data. Although the goal of the data analysis was to determine the patterns of experience and understanding across participants the unique aspects of each participant’s experiences were considered as well. Since the study was based on a critical paradigm, an emphasis was placed on issues of race, gender, access, and equity. Indeed, the impact of such issues on participants’ situated experiences was part of the analysis of all three domains of the sociocultural framework. The strengths and the weaknesses of the Master of Education program were highlighted. The study includes details about the pedagogical implications of the findings on the Foreign Language Education curriculum, the field placement, and the development of a knowledge base related to technology-enhanced language teaching and learning.
Advisors/Committee Members: Wong, Shelley.
Subjects: Education, Teacher Training
Keywords: Teacher Education; Technology; Foreign Language Education
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11.
Barlia, Lily.
High school student's motivation to engage in conceptual change-learning in science.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 1999, Ohio State University
► This study investigated motivational factors that are related to engaging in conceptual…
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▼ This study investigated motivational factors that are related to engaging in conceptual change learning. While previous studies have recognized the resistance of students' scientific conception to change, few have investigated the role that non-cognitive factors might play when students are exposed to conceptual change instruction. Three research questions were examined: (a) What instructional strategies did the teacher use to both promote students' learning for conceptual change and increase their motivation in learning science? (b) What are the patterns of students' motivation to engage in conceptual change learning? And (c) what individual profiles can be constructed from the four motivational factors (i.e., goals, values, self-efficacy, and control beliefs) and how are these profiles linked to engagement (i.e., behavioral and cognitive engagement) in conceptual change learning of science? Eleven twelfth grade students (senior students) and the teacher in which conceptual change approach to teaching was used in daily activities were selected. Data collection for this study included student's self-reported responses to the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), classroom observation of students and the teacher, and structured interviews. Analysis of these data resulted in a motivational factor profile for each student and cross case analysis for entire group. Results from this study indicate that each student has different motivation factors that are mostly influenced individual student to learn science. Among these motivation factors, task value and control beliefs were most important for students. The implication of these findings are that teachers need to encourage students to find learning for conceptual change a valuable task, and that students need to find applications for their new conceptions within their everyday lives. In addition, teachers need to encourage students to develop learning strategies for conceptual understanding. Furthermore, students' motivation to learn was also influenced by other factors that are not directly related to the four motivational Factors assessed by the MSLQ such as the teacher's unique personality had a positive influenced on student learning . The overall conclusions drawn from this study are that conceptual change instruction requires the teacher to be aware of the importance of affective aspects and motivational factors of students learning.
Advisors/Committee Members: Beeth, Michael E.
Keywords: CONCEPTUAL CHANGE; leaming; motivational factors; learning science; Hewson; engagement
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12.
Bektasli, Behzat.
The relationships between spatial ability, logical thinking, mathematics performance and kinematics graph interpretation skills of 12th grade physics students.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► Graphs have a broad use in science classrooms, especially in physics. In…
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▼ Graphs have a broad use in science classrooms, especially in physics. In physics, kinematics is probably the topic for which graphs are most widely used. The participants in this study were from two different grade-12 physics classrooms, advanced placement and calculus-based physics. The main purpose of this study was to search for the relationships between student spatial ability, logical thinking, mathematical achievement, and kinematics graphs interpretation skills. The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test, the Middle Grades Integrated Process Skills Test (MIPT), and the Test of Understanding Graphs in Kinematics (TUG-K) were used for quantitative data collection. Classroom observations were made to acquire ideas about classroom environment and instructional techniques. Factor analysis, simple linear correlation, multiple linear regression, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data. Each instrument has two principal components. The selection and calculation of the slope and of the area were the two principal components of TUG-K. MIPT was composed of a component based upon processing text and a second component based upon processing symbolic information. The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test was composed of a component based upon one-step processing and a second component based upon two-step processing of information. Student ability to determine the slope in a kinematics graph was significantly correlated with spatial ability, logical thinking, and mathematics aptitude and achievement. However, student ability to determine the area in a kinematics graph was only significantly correlated with student pre-calculus semester 2 grades. Male students performed significantly better than female students on the slope items of TUG-K. Also, male students performed significantly better than female students on the PSAT mathematics assessment and spatial ability. This study found that students have different levels of spatial ability, logical thinking, and mathematics aptitude and achievement levels. These different levels were related to student learning of kinematics and they need to be considered when kinematics is being taught. It might be easier for students to understand the kinematics graphs if curriculum developers include more activities related to spatial ability and logical thinking.
Advisors/Committee Members: White, Arthur L.
Subjects: Education, Sciences
Keywords: kinematics graphs; spatial ability; logical thinking; mathematics performance; 12th grade physics students
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13.
Cetinkaya, Yesim Bektas.
Turkish college students' willingness to communicate in English as a foreign language.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► English, which is defined as an international language, is used by more…
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▼ English, which is defined as an international language, is used by more than one and a half billion people (Strevens, 1992) as a first, second, or foreign language for communication purposes. Consequently, the purpose of teaching English has shifted from the mastery of structure to the ability to use the language for communicative purposes. Thus, the issues of whether learners would communicate in English when they had the chance and what would affect their willingness to communicate gain importance. Recently, a “Willingness to Communicate” (WTC) model was developed by McIntyre et al. (1998) to explain and predict second language communication. The objective of the present study was to examine whether college students who were learning English as a foreign language in the Turkish context were willing to communicate when they had an opportunity and whether the WTC model explained the relations among social-psychological, linguistic and communication variables in this context. The present study was a hybrid design that combined both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis procedures. First, a questionnaire was administered to 356 randomly selected college students in Turkey. Then, interviews were conducted with 15 randomly selected students who had already answered the questionnaire. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was conducted to examine the interrelations among students’ willingness to communicate in English, their language learning motivation, communication anxiety, perceived communication competence, attitude toward the international community, and personality. Qualitative interviews were utilized to extend and elaborate these quantitative results. The results revealed that students were somewhat willing to communicate in English, were moderately motivated to learn English, had a positive attitude toward the international community, had low communication anxiety, perceived themselves somewhat competent to communicate in English, and were slightly extraverted. These students’ willingness to communicate was found to be directly related to their attitude toward the international community and their perceived linguistic self-confidence. Students’ motivation to learn English and their personality in terms of being an introvert or extrovert were found to be indirectly related to their willingness to communicate through linguistic self-confidence. Finally, their attitude toward the international community was correlated with their personality.
Advisors/Committee Members: Samimy, Keiko K.
Subjects: Education, Language and Literature
Keywords: Willingness to Communicate; EFL; Turkish Students; Motivation; Attitude; SEM
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14.
Chang, Chien-Ni.
How did the OSU M.Ed. program prepare teachers to be multiculturally competent?.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Researchers have explored attitudes of teachers toward issues of equity and diversity,…
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▼ Researchers have explored attitudes of teachers toward issues of equity and diversity, yet only a handful of studies have connected teachers’ attitudes with their subsequent classroom practice. Related to this question, there is a need to study how teacher preparation programs have helped teachers develop multicultural competence. The research for my dissertation is situated within a larger program evaluation study within which I have participated during my doctoral studies. I will be using some of the survey and interview data from this larger project. This paper, however, describes the data collected from the case studies I have been collecting in the past three quarters. Recent sociocultural theorists suggest that teachers are socialized to learn how to teach (Zeichner and Melnick, 1996). Social interactions are considered important to generate transformative knowledge that leads to real learning. These institutional elements are central influences in shaping social interactions and the individuals’ perceptions and behavior within them. Wenger (1998) categorizes these institutional elements as: enterprise, engagement, and repertoire. Enterprise refers to the domains of an institution (in this study, the M.Ed. program), engagement to the relationships among individuals in the program, and repertoire to the practices of individuals. Critical theorists bring forward the issues of power when investigating social interactions (Nieto, 2000; Sleeter, 2001). Various forms of resistance can happen along with the social interactions, especially there are different opinions between the new comers and old timers in a particular institution. Postmodernists further problematize the learning process by assuming the existence of multiple subjectivities that usually shift and change within these social interactions (Giroux, 1998; Kumashiro, 2001).The purpose of this study is to explore how multicultural competence was defined, interpreted, and developed by three case study participants from the OSU M.Ed. program. Related information or document about how the program has prepared teacher to teach multiculturally was collected.
Advisors/Committee Members: Johnston-Parsons, Marilyn.
Subjects: Education, Teacher Training
Keywords: Multicultural teacher education
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15.
Chen, Lih-Mei D.
TAIWANESE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE WASHBACK EFFECT OF THE BASIC COMPETENCE TEST IN ENGLISH.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2002, Ohio State University
► The phenomenon of how external tests influence teaching and learning is commonly…
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▼ The phenomenon of how external tests influence teaching and learning is commonly described as “washback” in language instruction. Literature indicates that testing washback is a complex concept that becomes even more complex under a variety of interpretations of the washback phenomenon on teaching and learning. Some studies conclude that no simple washback effect occurs (Alderson and Hamp-Lyons, 1996; Watanabe, 1996), whereas others find powerful determiners of language testing toward classroom teaching (Hughes, 1988; Khaniya, 1990; Herman and Golan, 1991). The purpose of this study was to investigate how English teachers in Taiwan junior high schools perceived the impact of a reformed public examination, called the Basic Competency Test (BCT), on their curricular planning and instruction. This study was expected to add to the existing literature on testing washback in an English as a foreign language context. The relational research method was used in this research. The target population was Taiwan junior high school English teachers. The survey method (a quantitative method) and focus group interviews (a qualitative method) were used to collect data. Data were analyzed in two phases. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the quantitative data. Content analysis using a note-based technique interpreted the qualitative data. Findings from this study indicate that the BCT has an influential impact on teachers’ curricular planning and instruction. However, such a washback influence on teachers’ teaching attitudes is quite superficial; that is, the washback may influence teachers what to teach but not how to teach. The reason for why it influences teaching contents is because of the issuance of new teaching materials for nation-wide junior high schools. Due to the lack of in-service teacher training, teachers lack knowledge of how to change their teaching methods in order to align with the new curriculum. Based upon the findings, this study recommends: 1) provide teachers with extensive professional development opportunities, 2) change the “academic watch” policy, 3) practice mix-ability grouping instead of achievement grouping to group students, and 4) integrate assessment into classroom evaluation.
Advisors/Committee Members: Samimy, Keiko.
Keywords: washback; testing impact; English teaching; EFL
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16.
Chen, Shwu-Meei.
A study to understand preservice teachers' learning experiences while developing electronic portfolio in a teacher education program.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Recently, many teacher education programs have implemented electronic portfolios in order to…
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▼ Recently, many teacher education programs have implemented electronic portfolios in order to develop preservice teachers’ technology competency and promote reflectivity. This study looked at the use of electronic portfolios in a year-long teacher education program considering how they were used and what the students learned. The participants were a cohort of M.Ed. students involved in a year-long teacher education program. The study explored the preservice teachers’ perceptions of developing electronic portfolios and then whether their learning about e-portfolios was integrated into their subsequent teaching. This study used sociocultural theory as framework to understand: 1) What were these preservice teachers’ perception of learning about the e-portfolio? 2) How did sociocultural context influence these preservice teachers’ learning from the e-portfolio? 3) What did these preservice teachers learn from developing their e-portfolios that influenced their technology competency? 4) How was the learning experience from the e-portfolio transformed into their first year teaching? The study drew on a qualitative paradigm using multiple research methods including surveys, interviews, observations, and document analysis. Analysis of the data showed that the preservice teachers perceived the learning from developing their e-portfolio as both a process and a product for learning technology, which involved reflection and documentation as well as sharing their learning. The sociocultural context including peers, mentor teachers, the M.Ed. program and the school contexts had significant influence on these preservice teachers’ learning. The study revealed that these preservice teachers increased their learning about technology knowledge and skills. There was also evidence that some of these preservice teachers transformed their learning from the e-portfolio into their future teaching. This study identified the complexity of the learning process that teacher educators have to recognize in order to engage and arrange teacher learning through e-portfolios in a meaningful way. There were strengthens as well as weaknesses in this particular teacher education program related to the implementation of the e-portfolio. As such, this study contributes to the literature on using e-portfolios to enhance learning, reflection, and professional growth for preservice and beginning teachers. Recommendations for further research are provided.
Advisors/Committee Members: Johnston, Marilyn.
Subjects: Education, Technology
Keywords: electronic portfolio, teacher education
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17.
Cheong, Sung Hui.
The role of listener affiliated socio-cultural factors in perceiving native accented versus foreign accented speech.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► The present study is a correlational study to determine if listeners’ perception…
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▼ The present study is a correlational study to determine if listeners’ perception of (1) accentedness and (2) comprehensibility can be predicted from listener affiliated socio-cultural factors (referred to as listener factors). The listener participants were 60 Native Speakers of American English (referred to as Native Listeners, NL) who were undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a large mid-western University. The listeners were divided into (1) the audio group who listened to four audio clips and (2) the video group who watched four video clips recorded from the same speakers. The speakers consisted of three Non-Native Speakers (NNS) with three ordinal categories of accents (e.g., Moderate Accent, Low Accent, Foreign Non Accent), and one NS with Native Non Accent. The audio group did not receive each speaker’s Socio-Cultural Information (SCI) while the video group received SCI of each speaker. With respect to the between-group differences, the video group perceived the speakers’ accentedness and nativeness more positively than the audio group. However, the video group perceived the speakers’ comprehensibility more negatively compared to the audio group. The length of time in the program made the largest contribution to predict speakers’ degree of accentedness. Listeners’ frequency of interaction with accented speakers made the largest contribution to predict listeners’ perception of comprehensibility. Among listener factors, SCI of the speakers, interaction, and exposure primarily contributed to predict whether the speakers sounded like native or non-native. From the listeners’ point of view, the findings showed that SCI and the disclosure of speakers’ identity were used positively in the listeners’ perception of accentedness and nativeness. The findings of the study challenge the NNS principle in the sense that nativeness is not equal to non-accentedness. This study contributes to empowering NNS identities and helps them to be involved in speech communities as legitimate participants. Even though this study presents some implications and key issues concerning how to use listener factors and why the NS-NNS dichotomy and the NS principle should be challenged, further research is suggested to find factors of facilitating NS-NNS communication in order to help educate NS toward embracing the sociocultural differences of NNS.
Advisors/Committee Members: Samimy, Keiko K.
Keywords: Native Fallacy,; Non-native Identity Empowerment,; Socio-cultulral Factors in Teaching English,; Teaching English as an International Language; Native versus Non-native Dichotomy
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19.
Crosby, Cathryn Read.
The academic literacies experiences of generation 1.5 learners: how three generation 1.5 learners negotiated various academic literacies contexts in their first year of university study.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► Based on their U.S. K-12 schooling experiences, most Generation 1.5 students enter…
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▼ Based on their U.S. K-12 schooling experiences, most Generation 1.5 students enter college with some foundation in academic literacies. However, many Generation 1.5ers have difficulties with the more complex and more language-intensive reading and writing tasks they encounter in college. This case study presents findings of the academic literacies experiences of three Generation 1.5 students during their first year of university study. With the use of the Academic Literacies Model (Lea and Street, 2000) as the theoretical frame, the study focuses on the academic literacies difficulties these students experienced as well as the strategic practices they utilized to overcome these difficulties and complete the academic literacies tasks. Data for the study was collected using semi-structured participant interviews, transcription, member checks, literacies logs, course artifacts, and literacies samples. Analysis of the data collected was done with the use of a systematic coding scheme to identify emergent themes and patterns and determine frequency counts in the data. The results of this study highlight four important characteristics of the academic literacies experiences of first year Generation 1.5 learners. First, the situatedness of academic literacies is the cause of some difficulties Generation 1.5 learners have with them, rather than their Generation 1.5 learner status. Second, the Generation 1.5 learners in this study possessed notions of academic literacies which revealed a less linear approach to and interpretation of the academic socialization process than their instructors. Third, the differences among the participants’ levels of academic literacy proficiency, as indicated by their difficulties with and strategic practices of academic literacies, point to the diversity within this group of learners. Finally, the U.S. K-12 schooling experience that the Generation 1.5 learners in this study had served as an advantage to them in different ways as they negotiated new academic literacies contexts in their first year of university study.
Advisors/Committee Members: Hirvela, Alan R.
Subjects: Education, Higher
Keywords: Generation 1.5, Academic Literacies, Second Language Writing, Second Language Reading, Situated Literacies
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20.
Doepker, Gina Marie.
A study to determine the status of the roles, responsibilities, and practices of university supervisors who serve middle childhood preservice teacher candidates in the state of Ohio.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► This research explored the status of the roles, responsibilities, and practices of…
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▼ This research explored the status of the roles, responsibilities, and practices of the university supervisors who served the middle childhood preservice teacher candidates in the state of Ohio. Survey results were collected from 36 colleges and universities. On-site visits were held during the end of the student teaching term at one small private college, one medium sized private university, and one large public university. The survey results indicated that 64% of the supervisors were required to perform a pre-observation conference with their preservice teacher candidate, while 97% were required to perform a post-observation conference. A little more than half (56%) of the supervisors were required to visit their preservice teacher candidate in the field weekly, while 89% were expected to submit the preservice teacher candidates’ final student teaching grade. On-site visitations helped to gain information regarding the nature of supervision for the middle childhood preservice teacher candidates. It was determined that the supervisors had variable supervisory training. Although each of the case-study supervisors was required to use the PATHWISE Observational System, only two of the supervisors received formal PATHWISE training. The on-site visitations revealed that the supervisor and preservice teachers were not necessarily matched according to content area of expertise. This lack of content match resulted in the supervisors giving superficial feedback that was not specific to content area pedagogy. The main strength of the supervisors’ services included that they were a support system for the preservice teachers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Scharer, Patricia.
Keywords: Middle Childhood Preservice Teacher Candidates; University Supervisors; College Supervisors
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21.
Eirich, Julie M.
Classroom meeting: a window into children's cultures.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2006, Ohio State University
► This ethnographic study examines classroom meetings within a progressive education classroom. Specifically…
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▼ This ethnographic study examines classroom meetings within a progressive education classroom. Specifically the study takes place in an Informal first and second grade multi-age classroom that reflects the democratic ideals of progressive education. Informed by sociocultural theory, the researcher focuses on how the cultures of the classroom are co-constructed and reflected through the interactions of its participants. The everyday patterns of action and interaction establish the school and peer cultures distinct to the Informal classroom. The researcher used multiple methods of data collection to provide a lens for viewing each of these worlds. The methods include: daily audio recordings and participant observation notes, weekly collections of artifacts, quarterly grounded surveys, and small group interviews as needed. Distinctive in its progressive pedagogy, the teacher as an agent of school culture presents the norms and rituals that must be learned in order to be an Informal student. The school culture further reflects the teacher’s focal concerns as a progressive educator: a democratic education with an integration of the curriculum. While the teacher presents these norms, the students contribute their own input and ultimately daily life in negotiated as a co-construction. Tracer units, such as the ritual of sharing, reveal the social construction of classroom action and discourse as the children create a distinct social history reflecting the common experiences they share with one another. Rituals also unveil the focal concerns that emerge with the construction of a peer culture. Fulfilling the role of a participant-observer, the researcher observes how a school culture event makes room for the peer culture to intersect creating opportunities for emergent literacy and for authentically assessing students’ social development. Ultimately, these intersections provide a place for relationships to develop and for the foundation of a classroom community to be co-constructed. Together, the children and the teacher of the classroom become keepers of the history, geography, and culture of the classroom community. Classroom meetings are more than just simple events; they are complex and culturally connected, offering its participants a potential of possibilities, including the chance to be part of something bigger than oneself.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kantor, Rebecca M.
Subjects: Education, Elementary
Keywords: Classroom Meetings; Progressive Education; Informal Education; Peer Culture; School Culture; Elementary Education
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22.
Elstak, Iwan Rene.
College students’ understanding of rational exponents: a teaching experiment.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► The study examines the understanding college students have of the concept of…
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▼ The study examines the understanding college students have of the concept of rational and negative exponents and the justifications for their notions of exponents. Pre- interviews with novice and expert mathematics students suggested, that novice students had fragmented notions of exponents. In applications with rational and negative exponents novice students relied on operational procedures and the authority of teachers. Neither novice students nor expert students proposed integrated concept of exponents to explain all types of exponents. A conjecture for transforming the teaching and learning of exponents was proposed, that the teaching and learning of exponents can be improved through the study of the concepts of rate of growth and factors of multiplication, and a thorough study of roots and powers of factors. The conjecture was tested in a teaching experiment with the novice students. The role of the laws of exponents in the formation of rational and negative exponents was examined. The students’ construction of the concept of rational and negative exponents is described through models. The results suggest that students do not base their understanding of rational or negative exponents on patterns of the Laws of Exponents. The Common Definition of Exponents seemed the preferred lens through which the concept of exponents was viewed first, and then replaced by memorized rules, cues from notations, and teachers’ authority. The tendency of students to use linear forms of thinking for multiplicative models of change affected their understanding of factors of multiplication and rates of growth under various conditions. A process for calculating decimal exponents that brings together all the components of the construction of rational exponents was part of the study. The zero exponent was given special attention in the context of rational exponents. Negative exponents were studied as reverse actions of multiplication equivalent to multiplication of inverses. All students showed improvement in their understanding of rational, decimal and negative exponents. Two students presented integrated concept of exponents covering rational, decimal, and negative exponents. The other students continued to focus on the separate operations of different forms of exponents and did not propose integrated concepts.
Advisors/Committee Members: Owens, Douglas T.
Keywords: Exponents, decimal exponents
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24.
Forrest, Denise B.
Investigating the logics secondary mathematics teachers employ when creating verbal messages for students: an instance for bridging communication theory into mathematics education.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Teacher communication is a central topic in mathematics education. In this investigation…
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▼ Teacher communication is a central topic in mathematics education. In this investigation expert researchers and national Standards document were used to describe mathematics teachers’ verbal communication. In summary, it is a medium for students and teachers to create, organize, and negotiate mathematical thoughts. It has students’ thoughts and strategies as the context of the message, and when needed, the teacher redirects or redefines context so students’ thoughts and strategies are the focus. The goal for the messages is to provide students a chance to engage mathematical thoughts, promoting students’ understanding. This description was analyzed using communication theory, namely message design logic theory. This theory informs us that depending upon the design logic employed by an individual, a different verbal message is provided, and heard. Three known message design logics have been identified: expressive, conventional, and rhetorical. They are developmentally ordered from expressive to rhetorical, and the verbal communication being described by experts and Standard documents resembles the rhetorical message design logic, the most advanced construct. This study investigated 1) what design logics secondary mathematics teachers used; 2) if any factors could be identified influencing teachers’ message design logic, for example experience, education, student population, and sex; and 3) how message design logics relate to currently promoted communication. Fifteen secondary mathematics teachers participated. They varied in experience, education, student population, and sex. They took part in an interview and verified a member check document. In the interview, participants responded to two hypothetical, yet realistic, classroom situations. After giving a message, it was played back and the reasoning behind the parts of the message were provided. Finally, they were asked open-ended questions. These data, once verified by the participant, were analyzed using the message design logic theory framework. It was found that the mathematics teachers employed all of the message design logics: 20% expressive, 53% conventional, and 26% rhetorical. Each of the logics has very distinct characteristics, and depending upon which one the teacher employed, a very different verbal message was created. None of the factors (experience, education, student population, and sex) listed influenced the message design logics employed by these teachers.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brosnan, Patricia.
Keywords: Teacher communication; Communication theory; Message design logic theory
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25.
Hubbard, Terrance Michael.
It’s about more than “just be consistent” or “out-tough them”: culturally responsive classroom management.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Until recently, research on the relationship between classroom management and culturally responsive…
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▼ Until recently, research on the relationship between classroom management and culturally responsive teaching has remained distinctly separated. Researchers in each field of study have focused on issues pertinent to their respective areas of study. Missing is research that explores how teachers make sense of and come to understand issues of cultural diversity in their classroom management approaches. This qualitative research is based on case studies of the perceptions and interpretations of three White, female, middle school teachers. The participants were nominated as successful teachers of African American students and effective classroom managers by their principal and other teachers in the building. The purpose of the study was to examine and describe the influence of diversity on the teachers’ classroom management practices. The increase in African American students in urban middle schools together with the low number of African American teachers means that the majority of students will be taught by White, middle-class, teachers. Although these teachers may have good intentions, they may not have the cultural background and dispositions to deliver the most appropriate classroom management approach to this group. Research indicates that teachers may lack cultural self-efficacy, cultural information, and cultural experience that may result in subjecting African American students to ethnocentric attitudes, damaging communication, and culturally insensitive discipline and interventions. The cumulative effects of poverty, racial segregation, low expectations, and misinformation about the cultural background of African American students have placed them in an exceptionally high-risk category for school disciplinary consequences. While many reasons can be attributed to the high suspension and expulsion rates experienced by this population, the fact that African American students infrequently share the cultural framework of their teachers may be a factor in the creation of the racialized discipline gap in public schools. There is a critical need to identify reform initiatives that can reduce disciplinary inequity and increase educational opportunities for African American students. This research examines teachers’ sense-making about classroom management and culturally responsive pedagogy and the relation between them in their practice. Data was analyzed using constructivists, sociocultural, and critical race theory. The following themes emerged: (a) developing personal relationships based on respect, trust, and caring; (b) teacher confidence and cultural efficacy; and (c) intervention as guiding, mediating, and scaffolding.
Advisors/Committee Members: Marilyn, Johnston.
Keywords: Classroom Management; Cultural Diversity; White Females; African American Students; Urban Middle Schools; Culturally Responsive Teaching; Culturally Relevant Pedagogy
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26.
Hughes, Catherine Helen.
Performance for Learning: How emotions play a part.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2008, Ohio State University
► Over the last twenty years, museums, zoos and aquaria have been developing…
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▼ Over the last twenty years, museums, zoos and aquaria have been developing live theatre programs to present performances to their visitors. In general, these performances are presented by professional actors, the scripts are written by playwrights, and the staging is done with a director. The content of these performances is generated from the institutional mission of the home museum, zoo or aquarium, and is usually educational. This genre of performance is called museum theatre. While the practice of museum theatre has proliferated, fewer attempts have been made to research its effects. Positive response has been documented from visitors who have seen such performances, but only a few studies have gone beyond this to understand the underlying nature of that response.This study explored the nature of spectator response to museum theatre performances. Several different museum theatre performances were used in two museum sites in order to gather responses from museum visitors of all ages who became spectators. Through pre- and post-show surveys, observations, focus group interviews, and follow-up interviews 3-5 months later, spectator responses were analyzed using transactional theory as a lens to reveal what participants selected for attention and how they constructed meaning from their museum theatre experience. The sample of visitors who participated in this study represented a wide range of ages. This was evident in the variety of experiences they brought to their meaning-making of the performances, which inspired a plethora of different interpretations of the performances. Participants in this study were typically able to recall details of the performances they saw three to five months later. A primary idea that emerged in the data that showed aesthetic response to museum theatre was the centrality of empathy. The human dimension, the interaction between spectator and actor, was found to be of central importance in engaging spectators to museum theatre. One of the strengths of this study was in the variety of instruments used, which allowed participants to construct and clarify their responses in varying ways and at different intervals. The data consistently painted a detailed picture of the museum theatre event as a site of activation for participants' affective and cognitive processing, which led to strong recall, comprehension and learning.
Advisors/Committee Members: Warner, Christine D.
Subjects: Education; Museums; Theater
Keywords: theatre; education; museums; reception theory; spectator
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27.
Ibrahim, Abdallah I.
Design and initial validation of an instrument for measuring teacher beliefs and experiences related to inquiry teaching and learning and scientific inquiry.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2003, Ohio State University
► The purpose of this study is to design and provide initial validation…
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▼ The purpose of this study is to design and provide initial validation of the Comprehensive Beliefs About Inquiry and Teaching and Learning Experiences Instrument (CBAITLEI) for measuring beliefs and experiences related to teaching and learning science through inquiry approaches. The instrument measures beliefs about the importance of inquiry for teaching and learning science, barriers to using inquiry in science classrooms, student outcomes resulting from use of inquiry approaches, and beliefs about scientific inquiry. Experts in teacher education programs and inquiry assessed content and face validity. Principal Components Analyses of participant responses were used to assess construct validity. A sample of 603 respondents was chosen based upon their varied teaching and learning experiences. One-way ANOVA with post hoc Scheffé Pairwise Comparisons were used to determine sample group differences in their beliefs about inquiry teaching and learning and scientific inquiry and to determine the differences among these groups in their learning and teaching experiences. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficients were used to detect significant relationships between learning, teaching experience and beliefs about inquiry, and scientific inquiry. Results showed significant relationships between learning and teaching experience. Teaching and learning experiences were also significantly correlated with beliefs about inquiry teaching and learning and scientific inquiry. Canonical correlations were used to determine the ability of the instrument to discriminate between groups characterized by different teaching and learning experiences. Components resulting from applying Principal Components Analyses were considered to be good discriminators for the groups sampled except for the Learning Experience in Regard to Student Role in Inquiry Classrooms component. This is evidence of construct validity of the instrument sections that measure these variables. Based upon face validity, content validity, construct validity, and concurrent validity evidence from this study, the modified versions of these instrument sections are considered to be valid, reliable, and comprehensive measures of inquiry teaching and learning factors.
Advisors/Committee Members: White, Arthur L.
Subjects: Education, Sciences
Keywords: Inquiry.; Teacher Beliefs about Inquiry Teaching and Learning.; Teaching Experience Using Inquiry Approaches.; Learning Experience Through Inquiry Approaches.; Scientific Inquiry.
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28.
Imperial, Dorothy L.
The relationship between organizational climate and multicultural education on student achievement in elementary age children of military parents (comp) schools.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► There exists a school system that is closing the performance gap on…
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▼ There exists a school system that is closing the performance gap on standardized tests between Caucasian and minority students. This research studied 10 American schools serving Children of Military Parents (COMP) in North America, Asia and Europe which serve as a model for closing the minority performance gap. The environmental tone of schools is considered to have a profound effect on student learning. This research investigated the environmental tone that is contributing to success for all students. This study investigated organizational climate factors and multicultural perceptions that are contributing to the success of all students at COMP schools. The environment of schools closing the performance gap was studied by means of a climate analysis and multicultural perception survey. The research design is a web-based survey, composed of the Perceptions of Multicultural Education (PME) survey, an original survey, and the Organizational Health Inventory (OHI) survey previously established by Hoy et al. (1991). This study introduced an original survey for measuring perceptions of multicultural education, the PME survey. The PME survey was found both highly reliable and valid. The PME survey was used to measure attitudes towards multicultural education. PME results were then analyzed in relation to student performance on standardized tests. Findings from this study are based upon an overall response rate of 82%. A major finding of this research, revealed a unique relationship between environments highly valuing multicultural education and student performance. Specifically, biracial students were shown to excel in environments highly valuing multicultural education. Other significant findings confirm previous research, which found healthy school environments to be beneficial for all students. Additionally, healthy environments were found to be specifically beneficial for Black, Asian, American Indian, and White students. Previous climate research has shown “Academic Emphasis” as the strongest predictor of student success (Hoy et al., 1991). However, the findings from this research were not consistent with this body of knowledge. This study found “Collegial Leadership” as the most significant climate factor in providing equitable educational opportunities. Collegial leadership was perceived as principals who were friendly, supportive, and implemented clear and challenging goals. Overall, this study supports healthy environments and environments which are enhanced by multicultural education.
Advisors/Committee Members: Tyson, Cynthia.
Keywords: multicultural education; organizational climate; student performance; minority student performance gap; minority student performance; perceptions of multicultural education survey; Organizational Health Inventory Survey
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29.
Inan, Hatice Zeynep.
An interpretivist approach to understanding how natural sciences are represented in a Reggio Emilia-Inspired preschool classroom.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2007, Ohio State University
► This ethnographic study explores aspects of how the natural sciences are represented…
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▼ This ethnographic study explores aspects of how the natural sciences are represented in a Reggio Emilia-inspired laboratory preschool. The natural sciences as a discipline, a latecomer to preschool curricula, and the internationally-known approach, Reggio Emilia, have interested educators and researchers, but there is little research about Science in Reggio Emilia. The current research aimed to gain insight into natural science experiences in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom. To gain in-depth information, this inquiry-based study adapted a research design with ethnographic data collection techniques (i.e., interview, observation, document/artifact collection, and field-notes). The data were analyzed from an interpretive perspective using multiple lenses. These lenses included classroom culture, the Reggio Emilia approach, and Early Learning Content Standards. Several theories guided the study design, including data gathering and analysis. These theories included Spradley’s (1980) Developmental Research Sequence Method, which is a well-known ethnographic method, and Corsaro’s (1997) peer culture theory. The study involved 18 preschoolers, 10 teachers, and a program director. The results indicated that the Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool offered a science-rich context that triggered and supported preschoolers’ inquiries, and effectively engaged preschoolers’ hands, heads and hearts with science. The Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool classroom in this study even exceeded the pre-K standards for natural sciences. The results showed that the Reggio pedagogy, which is grounded in inquiry, is very compatible with science education goals.
Advisors/Committee Members: Kantor, Rebecca.
Subjects: Education, Early Childhood
Keywords: The Reggio Emilia Approach; Science; Preschool; Standards; Ethnography; Qualitative; Early Childhood Education; Early Childhood Science Education
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30.
Ishii, Drew K.
Developing a model of communication for pre-service elementary teachers' written mathematical explanations.
Degree: PhD, Teaching and Learning, 2005, Ohio State University
► Written explanations to mathematics problems were analyzed from undergraduates in a mathematics…
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▼ Written explanations to mathematics problems were analyzed from undergraduates in a mathematics for elementary teachers course in which two different instructional approaches were used: a traditional lecture/recitation approach and a nontraditional inquiry problem-solving approach. Twenty-four students in the nontraditional approach and 121 in the traditional approach participated with a total of 145 university juniors and seniors. All students were assessed on a common final examination. The final assessment required students to solve problems and provide written explanations for their work. The purpose of this study was to develop a communication model of the written explanations provided by the undergraduate students in an effort to better understand written mathematical explanations and communication. A grounded qualitative analysis of the data was performed using the knowledge base from sociocultural theory, constructivist communication theory, and prior similar research in mathematics education. Based upon this as a theoretical framework, a hierarchical model of explanations was developed from the written explanations. Three main categories describe the data from lowest to highest sophistication: algorithmic explanations, structural explanations, and transformative explanations. The categories in the model were developed without taking into consideration the correctness of the explanation, rather the completeness of the explanation and the job that the explanations do in the responses. Algorithmic explanations are procedural in nature and may include simple translations from symbolic mathematical work into words. Structural explanations provide details and features beyond those that are procedural. Transformative explanations are characterized by showing logical progressions and connections and may include the student’s thought process in addition to elements from the previous explanatory categories. Across both instructional approaches and across all questions the most used type of explanation was the algorithmic explanation. A comparison of the types of explanations used between one section of the traditional approach and the nontraditional section showed that the explanation type use was very similar in both approaches. The frequencies were all within two instances or 8.3% of each other between the sections. For both approaches, there were very low associations between the type of explanation used and mathematical success on the question.
Advisors/Committee Members: Brosnan, Patricia.
Subjects: Education, Mathematics
Keywords: Mathematical communication, discourse, writing in mathematics, written explanations, grounded theory, constructivist communication
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