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Science teacher beliefs and classroom practices related to constructivist teaching and learning

Savasci, Funda
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155698739

Abstract Details

2006, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Teaching and Learning.
The purpose of the study was to identify science teacher beliefs and classroom practice related to constructivist teaching and learning, and to examine factors that may influence teacher classroom practice. Four science teachers working in different school settings were purposively selected by the researcher. For over four months, data were collected through interviews with teachers, surveys, classroom observations, and classroom documents. Qualitative methodology including individual case study and cross-case analyses were employed in this study. The findings of the study revealed that teachers generally reported that they held constructivist teaching and learning beliefs. However, they had difficulty in incorporating their beliefs into classroom practice. Only one teacher could implement his beliefs related to constructivist teaching and learning into classroom practice; as such, his expressed beliefs were consistent with his observed classroom practice. Personal Relevance and Student Negotiation were the most frequently preferred constructivist components and Critical Voice was the most perceived constructivist component in science classrooms. Shared Control was one of the least preferred and was the least frequently perceived and implemented constructivist component in science classrooms. Whole-class activities were frequently observed in all science classrooms. However, teachers working in the private middle school tended to spend more class time in group work than those working in the public high school. On the other hand, teachers working in the public high school tended to allocate more class time to individual work than those in the private middle school. The teachers working in the private middle school tended to use more student-centered activities in their classrooms. Teachers working in the public high school tended to use more teacher-centered activities in their classrooms. School type (private versus public) and grade level were influential factors that affected teacher practice. Parental involvement was an important factor that influenced teacher practice in the private middle school. Curriculum and standardized testing was the most important factor that influenced teacher practice in the public high school. The nature of students and student ability were the most frequently self-reported factors that influenced teacher classroom practice.
Donna Berlin (Advisor)
243 p.
teacher beliefs; science teaching and learning; constructivist teaching and learning

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Savasci, F. (2006). Science teacher beliefs and classroom practices related to constructivist teaching and learning [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155698739

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Savasci, Funda. Science teacher beliefs and classroom practices related to constructivist teaching and learning. 2006. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155698739.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Savasci, Funda. "Science teacher beliefs and classroom practices related to constructivist teaching and learning." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2006. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1155698739

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1155698739
1,962
© 2006, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.