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ETD Abstract Container

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Mapping the terrain of culturally relevant science classrooms

Dodo Seriki, Vanessa
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1301057983

Abstract Details

2011, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, EDU Teaching and Learning.
Science education has undergone a number of reform efforts since the release of Sputnik in 1957 (DeBoer, 1991). Despite the many efforts, science achievement in the U.S. still lags behind that of other industrialized countries (IEA, 2007), and an achievement gap still exists between White and minority students (Monhardt, 2000). Several factors contribute to the persistent lag, one of which is science teachers’ ability to teach science in ways that are meaningful for and relevant to the diverse learners within their classrooms. This qualitative study examined middle school classrooms in which teachers used aspects of culturally relevant pedagogy to teach science. The researcher used portraiture methodology to search for the goodness (Lawrence –Lightfoot & Hoffman, 1997) with the aim of constructing portraits of what these classrooms could look like. The data revealed that teachers who have been prepared to use culturally relevant pedagogy are confident about using it, but find CRP difficult to integrate in science teaching. Parallels between culturally relevant pedagogy and reform based teaching are drawn, thus arguing that the two approaches are not mutually exclusive and all science teachers should be prepared to use both. Additionally, the researcher presents an incomplete portrait of culturally relevant science classrooms as they relate to promoting academic success among all students, and provides brief illustrations of what culturally relevant teaching could look like, drawing from the missed opportunities from the investigated classrooms.
David Haury, PhD (Advisor)
Adrienne Dixson, PhD (Committee Co-Chair)
Karen Irving, PhD (Committee Member)
194 p.
Education
Science education; culturally relevant pedagogy; portraiture

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Dodo Seriki, V. (2011). Mapping the terrain of culturally relevant science classrooms [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1301057983

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Dodo Seriki, Vanessa. Mapping the terrain of culturally relevant science classrooms. 2011. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1301057983.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Dodo Seriki, Vanessa. "Mapping the terrain of culturally relevant science classrooms." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1301057983

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1301057983
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.