EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2002, Education : Curriculum and Instruction

The difficulties that virtual high school science teachers encountered when teaching science online were examined in this study. The relationship between virtual high school science teachers' perceptions of difficulties when teaching science online and the level of importance they placed on the pedagogical skills was also analyzed. A web-based survey with 40 Likert-scaled items was prepared and posted on the web for participating virtual high school science teachers along with a detailed cover letter that explained the research Protocol. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics to understand the difficulties that virtual high school teachers encountered when teaching science online. The correlation between the level of importance virtual high school science teachers placed on pedagogical skills and their perceptions of difficulties was computed and interpreted. Based on the descriptive analyses of data obtained and the content analysis of teachers' responses, it was concluded that virtual high school science teachers encountered some difficulty while teaching science online and that they did place importance on pedagogical skills. It was also found that there was no relationship between the level of importance placed on pedagogical skills and teachers' perceptions of difficulties. Recommendations for improved teaching strategies to overcome those difficulties are offered in the concluding part of the final chapter.

Committee: Dr. Piyush Swami (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Curriculum and Instruction Science Education (Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine science teacher perceptions of digital simulations and virtual labs as digital tools in the 7-12th science classroom. The first study research question was: In what ways do science teachers use digital simulations and virtual labs in the 7-12th science classroom? The second study research question was: What factors influence teachers' use of digital simulations and virtual labs in the 7-12th science classroom? The theoretical framework used for this dissertation included the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), self-efficacy, and Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK). The research was a mixed methods sequential explanatory research design divided into two phases. Phase one consisted of a survey that was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and open response items were quantitized using inductive analysis. Phase two consisted of semi-structured interviews that were coded and analyzed inductively for emerging themes. Findings from each phase were integrated using an integrated results matrix, and meta-inferences were drawn. The findings indicate that science teachers use digital simulations and virtual labs for purposes of integrating scientific practices; providing safe, alternative science experiences, and visualizations. Findings concerning factors affecting their use included value of digital simulations and virtual labs; lack of adequate, formal professional development, learning curve, availability of functioning technology; cost, quality, and validity; and lack of general support. Based on this research, implications arise for teacher education, professional development, classroom practice, and the development of digital simulations and virtual labs. Implications include providing formal professional development opportunities that emphasize successful models of implementation, development of digital simulations and virtual labs that meet the needs of teachers, providing time (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Danielle Dani PhD (Committee Chair); Krisanna Machtmes PhD (Committee Member); Teresa Franklin PhD (Committee Member); Eugene Geist PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Science Education; Secondary Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Leadership Studies

Highly effective teachers have a positive impact on their students and their performance. Therefore, in-service teachers must continue to grow and develop their craft (Marzano, 2003). Research has shown factors influencing teacher effectiveness include their content knowledge, their self-efficacy, and their outcome expectancy (Bandura, 1977; Ohle, Boone, & Fischer, 2014; Sargent, Ferrell, Smith, & Scroggins, 2018; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001). Teachers who spend almost all of their class time teaching content and not working on improving student understanding have lower self-efficacy and outcome expectancy and struggle to improve their student's academic success (Petty, 2009). According to research, professional development should focus on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) to have a more significant impact on student achievement (Kleickmann, Richter, Kunter, Elsner, Besser, Krauss, & Baumert, 2013; Shulman, 1986). Modeling Instruction is a type of professional development focused on the improvement of science teaching pedagogy. There is significant research on the impact of Modeling Instruction (MI) on students. However, little research on the effects of MI on teachers exists (Brewe, 2008). The purpose of this research was to examine how Modeling Instruction professional development impacts teachers. Examining a t-test of dependent samples using a pretest-posttest design will help to determine if MI professional development for in-service science teachers in an appropriate means for improving teacher content knowledge, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy. The sample for this study included 567 participants in physical science Modeling Instruction professional development workshops from 21 different states in the United States. The researcher utilized a quasi-experimental research design utilizing surveys disseminated through voluntary participation in the Modeling Instruction professional development from 2016 to 2018 to ascertain the level of content knowled (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Judith Jackson May Ph.D. (Advisor); Starr Keyes Ph.D. (Other); Tracy Huziak-Clark Ph.D. (Committee Member); Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz Ph.D. (Committee Member); Rachel Vannatta Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Science Education; Secondary Education

Doctor of Education (EdD), Wright State University, 2016, Leadership Studies

The publication of the National Research Council's Framework for K-12 Science Education (2012) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States, 2013) marked a turning point in science education characterized by a shift away from the idea that students should learn about a set of science facts and toward the idea that students should figure out core science ideas by solving problems and making sense of phenomena. To successfully realize the vision for science education that was articulated in the reform documents, teachers' science classroom practices will need to change, particularly at the elementary level. Science education research has suggested that teachers' science subject matter knowledge, topic specific professional knowledge, and beliefs about effective science instruction may impact teachers' implementation of classroom practices consistent with the reforms. The goal of this causal structural analysis using an ex post facto research design was to empirically test a proposed conceptual model for teachers' knowledge, beliefs, and practices and to examine the direct and indirect effects of science subject matter knowledge, topic specific professional knowledge, and beliefs about effective science instruction on teachers' implementation of science classroom practices consistent with the reforms. The sample for this study consisted of 731 elementary teachers who were surveyed as part of the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education. Structural equation modeling was used to test the overall model structure, the amount of variance in science classroom practices that could be explained by the model, and the direct and indirect effects of science subject matter knowledge, topic specific professional knowledge, and beliefs about effective science instruction on science classroom practices. Results from analyses supported the conclusion that science subject matter knowledge, topic specific professional knowledge, and beliefs abou (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Suzanne Franco Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Yoko Miura Ed.D. (Committee Member); Nimisha Patel Ph.D. (Committee Member); James Tomlin Ed.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Elementary Education; Science Education

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2014, Educational Leadership

Politicians and educators frequently refer to the lack of science being taught in public schools. President Obama has voiced concerns about employers' economic interests not being served through public school's science education. An understanding of science is also required in order to evaluate political and social justice issues. This project identifies aspects of the epistemological understandings of science known as Nature of Science (NOS) that were found in elementary school teachers' science identities and their teaching practices. The case study used surveys, interviews, and classroom observations, to construct individual stories that capture participants' science identities. Emergent themes were identified within the teachers' identities. Experiences with informed NOS instruction (K-16) were lacking. Instructional practices of teachers aligned with their understandings of science epistemology. Consequences of national, state, and local, education policies were identified. All participants acknowledged needs and desires for professional development in science instruction. However, no efforts were being undertaken to pursue or provide in-service training for science. The statuses of these teachers cannot be unique in a nation possessing numerous similar rural settings. The insight gained through this study provides an important glimpse of U.S. education that policy makers need to appreciate in order to be able to generate the political advocacy necessary to enact quality science education reform. This project concludes with proposals for future training designed to foster understandings of science epistemology that are necessary for effective science teaching. Providing support effecting informed science epistemology (NOS) requires alterations to professional and personal identities; not lists of standards or administrative directives to teach science. Teachers' naive science identities, transformed through an acculturation of NOS, may gene (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Quantz PhD (Committee Chair); Thomas Poetter PhD (Committee Member); Lawrence Boggess PhD (Committee Member); Nazan Bautista PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Elementary Education; Epistemology; Inservice Training; Public Policy; Science Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2007, Teaching and Learning

This study explored the effect of history of genetics in teaching genetics and learning the nature of science (NOS). A quasi-experimental control group research design with pretests, posttests, and delayed posttests was used, combining qualitative data and quantitative data. Two classes which consisted of tenth grade biology students participated in this study. The present study involved two instructional interventions, Best Practice Instruction with History of Genetics (BPIw/HG) and Best Practice Instruction (BPI). The experimental group received the BPIw/HG utilizing various historical materials from the history of genetics, while the control group was not introduced to historical materials. Scientific Attitude Inventory II, Genetics Terms' Definitions with Concept Mapping (GTDCM), NOS Terms' Definitions with Concept Mapping (NTDCM), and View of Nature of Science (VNOS-C) were used to investigate students' scientific attitude inventory, and their understanding of genetics as well as the NOS. The results showed that students' scientific attitude inventory, and their understanding of genetics and the NOS were not statistically significantly different in the pretest (p>.05). After the intervention, the experimental group of students who received BPIw/HG demonstrated better understanding of the NOS. NTDCM results showed that the experimental group was better in defining the NOS terms and constructing a concept map (p<.01). In addition, the experimental group retained their understanding of the NOS two-months after the completion of the intervention, showing no statistically significant difference between the posttest and the delayed posttest of NTDCM (p>.05). Further, VNOS-C data indicated that a greater percentage of the experimental group than the control group improved their understanding of the NOS. However, the two groups' understanding of genetics concepts did not show any statistically significant difference in the pretest, the posttest, and the delayed posttes (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Karen Irving (Advisor) Subjects: Education, Sciences

Master of Education (MEd), Ohio University, 2010, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the status of Inquiry-based science instruction in Southeastern Ohio public high schools. The project specifically targeted teachers' beliefs and perceptions concerning inquiry and Inquiry-based science teaching, the extent to which they relied on inquiry strategies in the classroom and the various factors that could act as barriers in their use of inquiry. The Science Instruction and Facilities Survey (SIFS) was developed for the project and served as the main research tool. Results suggest that many teachers are familiarized with instances of inquiry in their teaching but lack the know-how to view it as a process of science geared towards scientific literacy and analytical skills. Findings also suggest that although teachers may believe inquiry should be utilized on a frequent basis in the classroom, their practice may not reflect this belief. Time, class size and available materials emerged as important factors that influence teachers' use of inquiry.

Committee: Danielle Dani Dr. (Advisor); Peter Mather Dr. (Committee Chair); Guofang Wang Dr. (Committee Member); George Johanson Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Science Education; Secondary Education

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2009, College of Education

This study utilized a mixed-method design in order to investigate the alignment of secondary science teachers' instructional methodologies and their homework designs. Surveys were distributed to educators from a Center for Ocean Sciences Excellence Education (COSEE) database. Coding rubrics were developed to categorize the participants' responses to a series of open-ended questions. Chi-square tests were utilized in the determination of the degree of association between the participants' instructional methodologies and their homework designs. Overall, no statistically significant association was discovered between the two variables. Likewise, a statistically significant association for alignment, based on various demographic characteristics of the participants, was also unable to be determined.

Committee: Harold Wilson PhD (Committee Chair); Howard Walters EdD (Committee Co-Chair); Herb Broda PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Theory; Science Education; Secondary Education; Teacher Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The Science of Reading era has (re)ignited conversations about equitable literacy instruction. Conflicting literacy research and literacy media reports complicate matters further. Guided reading, a ubiquitous form of small group instruction designed to meet readers' needs through individualized conferring and independent reading with instructional-leveled texts, has been under scrutiny and needs more research. This case study investigated guided reading in a third-grade classroom and explored how the classroom community co-constructed reading and the reading process. Theoretically framed by social constructivism, psycholinguistics, socio-psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics, this ethnographic-informed case study of n=1 third-grade teacher and n=17 students revealed adherences to and deviations from recommended guided reading instruction. The teacher's guided reading enactment was influenced by imperfect professional development and past reading experiences. This led to enacted adherences (schema building before reading, independent reading during reading, text discussions after reading) and deviations (round-robin reading and absence of conferring). These findings suggest value in identifying nonnegotiables of guided reading and possible negotiable elements in deference to teacher agency. Additionally, an examination of reading and the reading process as cultural constructions yielded a set of norms, such as “reading is about the words” and “reading is not an attention sustaining act” that revealed discrepancies between stated values and co-constructed culture. Implications for practice include shifting from expecting a teacher to be a master of reading to instead embracing a reading-in-process stance; and offering professional development that encourages the interrogation of literacy ideologies. Implications for researchers include the need for observational data to report nuanced (mis)understandings and illuminate the complexities of enacting guided r (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Timothy Rasinski (Committee Co-Chair); William Bintz (Committee Co-Chair); Xenia Hadjioannou (Committee Member); Janice Kroeger (Committee Member); Chase Young (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Education; Elementary Education; Literacy

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2017, EDU Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the use of 3-D printed models as an instructional tool in a middle school science classroom for students with visual impairments and compare their use to traditional tactile graphics for aiding conceptual understanding of geoscience concepts. Specifically, this study examined if the students' conceptual understanding of plate tectonics was different when 3-D printed objects were used versus traditional tactile graphics and explored the misconceptions held by students with visual impairments related to plate tectonics and associated geoscience concepts. Interview data was collected one week prior to instruction and one week after instruction and throughout the 3-week instructional period and additional ata sources included student journals, other student documents and audio taped instructional sessions. All students in the middle school classroom received instruction on plate tectonics using the same inquiry-based curriculum but during different time periods of the day. One group of students, the 3D group, had access to 3-D printed models illustrating specific geoscience concepts and the group of students, the TG group, had access to tactile graphics illustrating the same geoscience concepts. The videotaped pre and post interviews were transcribed, analyzed and coded for conceptual understanding using constant comparative analysis and to uncover student misconceptions. All student responses to the interview questions were categorized in terms of conceptual understanding. Analysis of student journals and classroom talk served to uncover student mental models and misconceptions about plate tectonics and associated geoscience concepts to measure conceptual understanding. A slight majority of the conceptual understanding before instruction was categorized as no understanding or alternative understanding and after instruction the larger majority of conceptual understanding was categorized as scientific or scie (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Tiffany Wild (Advisor); Mollie Blackburn (Committee Member); Lin Ding (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Geology; Middle School Education; Plate Tectonics; Science Education; Teaching

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2016, Instructional Technology (Education)

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the use of a participatory instruction as a means of teaching Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards of a group module project, compared to the teaching of the same standards using direct instruction. The students' final perceived achievement score, instructional type (two levels), team preference (two levels), major (six levels), and inter-professional (IP) team (nine levels) and standards (five levels) were considered. Students' final perceived achievement, students' initial perceived achievement (students' perceived self-efficacy), self-concept gains, and differences by team preference, major, and inter-professional teams were also analyzed. Students in this study were from three intact classes of - three cohorts group of 2013/2014 academic year (the experimental group) and three intact classes of three cohorts group of 2014/2015 academic year (comparative group). The sample consisted of 90 students. The experimental group used participatory instruction for 14 weeks of the semester. This is a value-driven, practice-based learning type of instruction, which allowed the students to interact in their teams. The comparative group, not taught using participatory instruction, was taught the same standards using a direct instruction method (primarily lecture). A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design was used. The dependent variable was final perceived achievement score. The independent variables were initial perceived achievement score (covariate), instructional methods, team preference, major, and IP teams. Pre-survey and post-survey scores on IOM Self-Reported Knowledge Achievement scales were analyzed. Analysis of the data revealed that the participatory group gained significantly, while they improved on their final perceived achievement and self-concepts scores. The participatory group working in teams, when compared to their direct instruction counterparts, increased s (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: David Moore Dr. (Committee Chair); Teresa Franklin Dr. (Committee Member); Krisanna Machtmes Dr. (Committee Member); John McCarthy Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Technology; Health Education; Instructional Design; Teaching; Technology

Master of Computer Science, Miami University, 2012, Computer Science and Software Engineering

Recently, inquiry-based learning has been used to enable students to ask scientific questions and come to objective conclusions based on observation and experimentation. Within this context, we have been exploring the impact of mobile devices upon different modes of learning including inquiry-based instruction. While much attention has been on mobile devices in the classroom due to their growing popularity, mobile learning has the ability to go beyond the confines of the brick and mortar to improve information retention and student engagement. This thesis explores best practices in engaging students in inquiry-based learning experiences using Research Buddy, an application developed over the course of this study to support citizen science and research data collection. We found that participants who used mobile devices in our study preferred using mobile devices as they made data collection easier and less overwhelming compared to participants using traditional paper and pencil methods of data collection. There is further work to be done to understand the full effect mobile devices have on perceived learning and engagement in inquiry-based experiment models.

Committee: Dr. Gerald Gannod PhD (Advisor); Dr. Jim Kiper PhD (Committee Member); Dr. Glenn Platt PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Science; Education; Psychology

PHD, Kent State University, 2011, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of integrating instructional strategies during problem-based learning (PBL) on student learning. A quasi-experimental 2 by 2 factorial design with an appended control was used to examine the effects of traditional teacher-led instruction compared to problem-based learning instruction with the interactions of cooperative learning methods—Jigsaw and traditional small group—and teacher question strategies—Socratic and didactic—on grade 5 student problem-solving skills, achievement, and attitude toward science. The sample consisted of grade 5 rural middle school students in an Ohio public school district. Six teachers were randomly assigned to the appended control group consisting of a teacher-led lecture-based environment or an experimental group consisting of a PBL environment with modified instructional strategies. Each experimental PBL group consisted of one of the following: traditional small group with didactic teacher questioning, traditional small group with Socratic teacher questioning, Jigsaw cooperative learning with didactic teacher questioning, and Jigsaw cooperative learning with Socratic teacher questioning. Results of the study support the use of PBL to improve student achievement. Students achieve at higher levels in science when compared to traditional teacher-led lecture instruction. The Socratic questioning groups had significantly higher achievement scores compared to the didactic questioning groups. The 2 PBL groups that used Jigsaw had a significantly more positive attitude towards science than the traditional small groups. There were no significant differences in problem solving between the groups. To assist in higher achievement and more positive attitudes when implementing PBL, the results of this study support the integration of Jigsaw cooperative learning method and Socratic questioning.

Committee: David Dalton PhD (Advisor); Christopher Was PhD (Committee Member); Averil McClelland PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Psychology; Elementary Education; Pedagogy; Science Education; Teaching

PHD, Kent State University, 2006, College of Education, Health, and Human Services / Department of Educational Foundations and Special Services

Since the first public library opened in Boston in 1854, librarians have believed libraries can play a central role in the preservation of pluralist democracy by supporting the development of an educated electorate (Shera, 1965). They have asserted that, by offering equal access to the repository of human knowledge despite individual ability to pay for such access, libraries ensure greater opportunity in the capitalist society (Information literacy, 1990). Librarians believe they are in the midst of a new age: the Information Age. Supposing that information is the capital of this new society, they stress that literal access to it is no longer adequate to promote equal access. Rather, people must now become information literate. That is, because the amount of information available to people is growing exponentially, there exists the threat of incapacitation caused by information over-load. Only people who know how to locate, access, evaluate and use information will thrive in this new society. Librarians, particularly those in K–12 schools and colleges and universities, believe that they should teach these skills: that they can best support progressive democracy by preparing information literate citizens, employees, and individuals. Once the limited domain of public services librarians, information literacy is increasingly considered the organizing concept for libraries in educational institutions across the country. This dissertation will examine the liberatory claims of information literacy by tracing its development within school and academic librarianship. It will demonstrate that information literacy was central to librarians' attempts to carve out an educational jurisdiction in order to legitimate the profession during a period of profound social, economic and technological change. Having situated information literacy in its cultural and historical context, this dissertation will critique information literacy as a product of professionalization and an extension (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Natasha Levinson (Advisor) Subjects: