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The Impact of a Museum-Based Science Methods Course on Early Childhood/Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Ability to Develop Curriculum Using a Constructivist Approach
Title
The Impact of a Museum-Based Science Methods Course on Early Childhood/Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Ability to Develop Curriculum Using a Constructivist Approach.
Creator
Templeton, Chelneca Kegley, Burnaford, Gail, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description
The focus of this study was to discover what impact a museum-based science methods course would have on 14 early childhood/elementary pre-service teachers' selfefficacy and ability to develop curriculum using a constructivist approach. Data were gathered using the STEBI-B, modified by Bleicher (2004). A paired-samples t test indicated there was significant change in the pre-service teachers ' self-efficacy pre-and post-museum course participation. The investigation also analyzed student...
Show moreThe focus of this study was to discover what impact a museum-based science methods course would have on 14 early childhood/elementary pre-service teachers' selfefficacy and ability to develop curriculum using a constructivist approach. Data were gathered using the STEBI-B, modified by Bleicher (2004). A paired-samples t test indicated there was significant change in the pre-service teachers ' self-efficacy pre-and post-museum course participation. The investigation also analyzed student-created learning centers intended for use in the students' future classrooms. Students created two learning centers, one before interaction with exhibits in the museum and one at the end of the course. At the conclusion of the semester, both sets of learning centers were analyzed using the Framework for Assessing Excellence instrument (Serrell, 2006). A paired-samples t test showed increased ability to create constructivist-based materials. The third area of study involved a focus group comprised of the pre-service teachers. Researcher-designed questions focused on the change in self-efficacy beliefs of the pre-service teachers, from pre-to post-museum experience. Questions were designed to add depth to information gained from the quantitative data gained from the STEBI-B and the Framework for Assessing Excellence. Qualitative procedures were conducted to determine common themes and beliefs derived from written reflections and audiotaped focus group discussion. Students reported the museum context did increase their confidence, excitement, and ability to develop and use resources for science instruction.
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Date Issued
2007
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000713
Subject Headings
Constructivism (Education), Educational innovations, Teachers--Training of, Interdisciplinary approach in education
Format
Document (PDF)
Choosing and using tools
Title
Choosing and using tools: type of prior experience and task difficulty influence preschoolers' choices and actions.
Creator
Gardiner, Amy K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Two and 3 year-old children's understanding of tool affordances was investigated by measuring their tool choice decisions and tool use behaviors. Children attempted six toy retrieval tasks of three different levels of structural complexity. Children were assigned to one of four conditions in which exposure to task materials varied according to the way in which the information was presented: no experience / no observation, experience only, observation only, and experience and observation....
Show moreTwo and 3 year-old children's understanding of tool affordances was investigated by measuring their tool choice decisions and tool use behaviors. Children attempted six toy retrieval tasks of three different levels of structural complexity. Children were assigned to one of four conditions in which exposure to task materials varied according to the way in which the information was presented: no experience / no observation, experience only, observation only, and experience and observation. Three year- olds consistently made more correct choices and used more working tools successfully than 2-year-olds. Tool choice was affected primarily by task difficulty and age. Tool use was influenced by task difficulty, order of task difficulty, age, and condition. The observation condition was most beneficial to children, while experience was least helpful, particularly for tasks at the hard level of difficulty.
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Date Issued
2008
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/165940
Subject Headings
Learning, Psychology of, Developmental psychology, Educational tests and measurements, Constructivism (Education)
Format
Document (PDF)
Preschoolers' use of intentionality in understanding causal structure of objects during imitation learning
Title
Preschoolers' use of intentionality in understanding causal structure of objects during imitation learning.
Creator
Gardiner, Amy K., Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description
Object use is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human species, and learning how objects function is a fundamental part of human development. This research examines the role that intentionality plays in children's understanding of causal relationships during imitation learning of object use. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, 2- to 5-year-olds observed demonstrations in which causally irrelevant and causally relevant actions were performed to achieve a desired goal of retrieving toys from within...
Show moreObject use is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human species, and learning how objects function is a fundamental part of human development. This research examines the role that intentionality plays in children's understanding of causal relationships during imitation learning of object use. In Studies 1, 2, and 3, 2- to 5-year-olds observed demonstrations in which causally irrelevant and causally relevant actions were performed to achieve a desired goal of retrieving toys from within containers. Irrelevant actions were performed either intentionally ("There!") or accidentally ("Whoops! I didn't mean to do that!"). Study 1 found that 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, but not 2-year-olds, were less likely to imitate causally irrelevant actions performed accidentally than those performed intentionally. This suggests that older children used intentionality to guide causal inference, perceiving intentional actions as causally effective and accidental actions as causally ineffective. Study 2 foun d that the intentionality of the demonstrator's actions had an enduring effect - after watching a single demonstration, children persisted in performing intentional irrelevant actions and continued to ignore accidental irrelevant actions when given three successive opportunities to complete the task. Study 3 examined how lack of knowledge about the task goal prior to the demonstrations affected imitation and found that children without explicit verbal instruction of the toy-retrieval goal imitated irrelevant actions to a greater degree than children from Study 1, who were informed of the goal throughout the experiment. Study 4 progressed beyond irrelevant actions to investigate the effect of intentionality on 3- to 5-year-olds' imitation of relevant actions., Inconsistency was created between the intentionality with which relevant actions were demonstrated and the causal necessity of these actions for the child's turn. Relevancy emerged as the paramount factor in study 4 - regardless of the intentionality with which relevant actions were demonstrated, children imitated these actions if they remained relevant and largely ignored them if they were rendered irrelevant. Findings are placed within a pedagogical framework and discussed from an evolutionary perspective in relation to the cultural transmission of tool-use knowledge.
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Date Issued
2011
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3183126
Subject Headings
Learning, Psychology of, Developmental psychology, Educational tests and measurements, Constructivism (Education)
Format
Document (PDF)
Advanced Placement (AP) social studies teachers' use of academic course blogs as a supplemental resource for student learning
Title
Advanced Placement (AP) social studies teachers' use of academic course blogs as a supplemental resource for student learning.
Creator
Alper, Seth., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description
This mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between Advanced Placement (AP) social studies teachers' utilization of academic course blogs and student achievement. Simultaneously, the study examined the participating teachers' perceptions on the use of course blogs and other social media as supplemental learning resources. The study further explored a possible moderating effect of the social studies subject on student achievement and a possible moderating effect of students'...
Show moreThis mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between Advanced Placement (AP) social studies teachers' utilization of academic course blogs and student achievement. Simultaneously, the study examined the participating teachers' perceptions on the use of course blogs and other social media as supplemental learning resources. The study further explored a possible moderating effect of the social studies subject on student achievement and a possible moderating effect of students' previous academic blog usage on student achievement within the study. Quantitative data were collected from students' pre-tests and unit tests scores and analyzed for statistical significance. Qualitative data were collected through teacher-generated notes during the blogs, individual interviews, and a follow-up focus group interview. The results of this study indicated that there was no overall significant difference in student achievement between the blogging and non-blogging groups. On the contrary , a significant interaction between the social studies subject area and the use of academic course blogs was found when examining student achievement. However, this practical interaction was revealed to be a weak one. Further findings indicated that there was no significant interaction between students' previous blog usage and academic achievement during the study. From the qualitative data, participating teachers perceived the course blogs to be potentially advantageous for students and themselves, yet expressed frustration when implementing the course blogs with their students. Instead, they endorsed the academic use of Facebook, a resource that some students from two participating courses separately utilized instead of (or in addition to) the course blogs during the study. Teachers further expressed concern about relinquishing their subject knowledge and AP expertise to readily available course content on the Internet. Implications and suggestions for future f or AP social studi, teachers' promising use of Facebook and for researchers investigating the use of socail media at the high school level.
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Date Issued
2013
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3360744
Subject Headings
Social sciences, Study and teaching (Secondary), Methodology, Information resources, Evaluation, Internet in education, Social aspects, Constructivism (Education)
Format
Document (PDF)