Science Education in Context: An Exploration of Urban Elementary Teachers' Personal Agency Beliefs Pubblico
Gale, Jessica (2011)
Abstract
Abstract
Science Education in Context:
An Exploration of Urban Elementary Teachers' Personal Agency
Beliefs
By Jessica Gale
Despite decades of science education reform, science education is
still neglected in
far too many of our nation's elementary schools (Jones et al.,
1999; Spillane, Diamond,
Walker, Halverson, & Jita, 2001). Because elementary teachers
are ultimately responsible
for implementing science reform initiatives, revitalizing science
education requires a
greater understanding of the beliefs elementary school teachers
hold regarding their roles
as agents of science education reform. At the same time, because
elementary science
education reform is enacted within complex educational environments
comprised of
multiple and often competing programs and initiatives, the beliefs
of teachers must be
considered within the context of state, district, and local school
reform activities. The
purpose of this study is two-fold. First, an online survey was
conducted to identify the
personal agency beliefs (Ford, 1992) that exist among elementary
teachers (n = 109) in
one urban school district. According to Ford's framework, personal
agency beliefs
consist of teachers' beliefs about their capability (self-efficacy
beliefs) and their beliefs
about the responsiveness of their school context. Using three
scales, this study surveys
elementary teachers' self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about the
environmental factors
that would enable them to teach science effectively, and their
beliefs about the likelihood
that such environmental factors will occur at their school. Second,
the study explores
patterns in elementary teachers' personal agency beliefs across six
comprehensive school
reform models. In essence, this is an exploratory study of
elementary teacher beliefs in
relation to school and district reform context. Implications for
research, theory, and
practice for policy and elementary science education are
discussed.
Science Education in Context:
An Exploration of Urban Elementary Teachers' Personal Agency
Beliefs
By
Jessica Gale
B.A., Pomona College, 2004
Advisor: George Engelhard Jr., Ph.D.
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the
James T. Laney School of Graduate Studies of Emory University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts
in Educational Studies
2011
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
1
Rationale
6
Frameworks
7
Purpose of the Study
11
Research Questions
12
Significance of the Study
12
Definition of Terms
14
Literature Review
16
Methodology
42
Participants and Setting
43
Instruments
45
Results
47
Discussion
54
Limitations
58
Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice
59
Conclusion
60
References
62
Appendix A: Policy Context Overview
85
Appendix B: Informed Consent Form
91
Appendix C: Context Beliefs about Teaching Science (CBATS)
Survey
93
Appendix D: Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument
(STEBI)
95
About this Master's Thesis
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