<p> This mixed methods case study documents an effort to implement authentic science and engineering instruction in one teacher&rsquo;s ninth grade science classrooms in a science-focused public school. The research framework and methodology is a derivative of work developed and reported by Newmann and others (Newmann &amp; Associates, 1996). Based on a working definition of authenticity, data were collected for eight months on the authenticity in the experienced teacher&rsquo;s pedagogy and in student performance. Authenticity was defined as the degree to which a classroom lesson, an assessment task, or an example of student performance demonstrates construction of knowledge through use of the meaning-making processes of science and engineering, and has some value to students beyond demonstrating success in school (Wehlage et al., 1996). Instruments adapted for this study produced a rich description of the authenticity of the teacher&rsquo;s instruction and student performance. </p><p> The pedagogical practices of the classroom teacher were measured as moderately authentic on average. However, the authenticity model revealed the teacher&rsquo;s strategy of interspersing relatively low authenticity instructional units focused on building science knowledge with much higher authenticity tasks requiring students to apply these concepts and skills. The authenticity of the construction of knowledge and science meaning-making processes components of authentic pedagogy were found to be greater, than the authenticity of affordances for students to find value in classroom activities beyond demonstrating success in school. Instruction frequently included one aspect of value beyond school, connections to the world outside the classroom, but students were infrequently afforded the opportunity to present their classwork to audiences beyond the teacher. </p><p> When the science instruction in the case was measured to afford a greater level of authentic intellectual work, a higher level of authentic student performance on science classwork was also measured. In addition, direct observation measures of student behavioral engagement showed that behavioral engagement was generally high, but not associated with the authenticity of the pedagogy. Direct observation measures of student self-regulation found evidence that when instruction focused on core science and engineering concepts and made stronger connections to the student&rsquo;s world beyond the classroom, student self-regulated learning was greater, and included evidence of student ownership. </p><p> In light of the alignment between the model of authenticity used in this study and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the results suggest that further research on the value beyond school component of the model could improve understanding of student engagement and performance in response to the implementation of the NGSS. In particular, it suggests a unique role environmental education can play in affording student success in K-12 science and a tool to measure that role.</p>

<p> Achieving and maintaining student engagement within a classroom are issues educators have dealt with since the inception of formal educational systems. The effects of seating arrangements on the classroom ecology have often been an area of concern for teachers. Recently a new trend in education called flexible seating has emerged. Flexible seating consists of a variety of alternative seating options. Proponents of flexible seating allege it creates an environment that decreases off-task behaviors which increases student outcomes through attentiveness. The purpose of this study is to understand how the effects of a flexible seating arrangement impact the ecology of the at-risk secondary classrooms, and to explore advantages and disadvantages of flexible seating in these classrooms. The study&rsquo;s findings are taken from teacher interviews and observations within two at-risk secondary classrooms. The results demonstrate flexible seating increases the democracy in the classroom creating a feeling of well- being and allows self-regulation. However, based on this study educators are advised to learn their students&rsquo; needs and remember the nature of the task should influence the seating arrangement as well. </p><p> <i><b>Key Words:</b></i> flexible seating, traditional seating, at-risk, school ecology, on-task behaviors, off-task behaviors, engagement </p><p>

<p> With the increasing human population, it is critical to develop informed citizens with ecological perspectives and motivation to make positive contributions to the biosphere. This study investigates the impact of a place-based science elective on the development of students&rsquo; ecological identities, motivation for environmental action, and ecojustice self-efficacy. Targeted curriculum was implemented, including a campus habitat design project. Pre and post tests for three instruments were used to assess 25 high school freshmen, half of whom are members of a STEM program. There was an increase in nature relatedness, motivation and self-efficacy for STEM students but not for non-STEM students. The research study demonstrated the effectivity of using place-based curriculum within classes to encourage student connection, empowerment and involvement. Support for teachers to develop targeted mentoring of students&rsquo; abilities and interests are needed and can help develop informed, involved global citizens. </p><p>

<p> High school students in the United States for the past century have typically taken science courses in a sequence of biology followed by chemistry and concluding with physics. An alternative sequence, typically referred to as &ldquo;physics first&rdquo; inverts the traditional sequence by having students begin with physics and end with biology. Proponents of physics first cite advances in biological sciences that have dramatically changed the nature of high school biology and the potential benefit to student learning in math that would accompany taking an algebra-based physics course in the early years of high school to support changing the sequence. Using a quasi-experimental, quantitative research design, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of science course sequencing on student achievement in math and science at a school district that offered both course sequences. The Texas state end-of-course exams in biology, chemistry, physics, algebra I and geometry were used as the instruments measuring student achievement in math and science at the end of each academic year. Various statistical models were used to analyze these achievement data. The conclusion was, for students in this study, the sequence in which students took biology, chemistry, and physics had little or no impact on performance on the end-of-course assessments in each of these courses. Additionally there was only a minimal effect found with respect to math performance, leading to the conclusion that neither the traditional or &ldquo;physics first&rdquo; science course sequence presented an advantage for student achievement in math or science.</p>

<p> Science education has undergone multiple reforms over the years, yet each reform continues to produce little change in student success. The latest reform of the standards&mdash;Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)&mdash;look to change that trend by focusing on what students can do, rather than just what they know. Modeling Instruction (MI) is one research-based pedagogy that is in alignment with the NGSS concepts of student-led classroom instruction. This proven strategy has been used across the U.S., but often in isolation, rather than as the routine classroom instruction throughout a school&rsquo;s science department. </p><p> Changes in new teaching methods, such as those needed to implement MI or NGSS, are not easy for schools to make. They require entire organizations to shift their beliefs in how education appears, with students actively working and presenting content, while the teacher walks to the students, facilitating and asking questions. Leadership within the school can help this transition take place, by providing structures and processes that support others attempting to make changes in their practice. Effective leaders not only provide a plan, but they also create a supportive climate in which goals can be achieved. </p><p> This qualitative case study looked at the leadership of schools that have implemented MI across the science curriculum, which includes Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. Characteristics of the leaders, such as leadership style and structures, provided information on how to make a successful change in instruction. Data was collected via interviews with school leaders and school faculty, and observations taken at the school. This data was then coded to identify common themes and trends. </p><p> Results of this research showed that leadership played an important role in the implementation of MI in secondary science classrooms. Key attributes were provided by school leadership to help with the implementation. Professional development provided the staff with the tools needed to learn the techniques of the new methods. Time for collaboration was also given, which allowed the staff to help each other with any problems that had arisen along the way. Finally, support was given by the leadership when teaching staff had problems with their implementation. These characteristics allowed for the change from traditional instruction to MI at two high schools, while minimizing problems and creating an atmosphere, which inspired creativity. </p><p>

<p>This mixed-methods case study examined two out-of-school (OST) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs at a science-oriented high school on students? Self-Efficacy. Because STEM is a key for future innovation and economic growth, Americans have been developing a variety of approaches to increase student interest in science within the school curriculum and in OST programs. Nationwide, many OST programs are offered for students but few have engaged in an in-depth assessment. This study included an assessment of two different types of OST programs and direct observations by the researcher. This study involved two advisors (one male, one female), 111 students, and their parents during 2016. Student participants completed two standardized surveys, one to determine their Science Self-Efficacy and another to assess their engagement in science during their OST programs. Parents described their parental involvement and their child?s interest in the OST program(s). The OST program advisors participated in lengthy interviews. Additionally, the advisors rated their perceived interest level of the enrolled students and recorded attendance data. Bandura?s Social Cognitive Theory (1997a) provided the theoretical framework. This theory describes the multidirectional influence of behavioral factors, personal factors, and environmental factors have on a student?s Self-Efficacy. Compiled data from the teachers, students, and parents were used to determine the relationship of selected variables on Science Self-Efficacy of students. A correlational analysis revealed that students who participated in these OST programs possessed a high Mindset for the Enjoyment of science and that teacher ratings were also positively correlated to Mindset and Enjoyment of Science. Descriptive analyses showed that (a) girls who chose to participate in these OST programs possessed higher school grades in their in-school coursework than boys, (b) that parents of girls participated in more parental activities, and (c) the teachers rated student?s interest in the science OST programs as high. Student comments on the survey and the qualitative analysis by trained coders revealed that success of the program was related to the collaborative and hands-on activities/projects of their OST program. In addition, students felt more involved in projects during after-school and weekend activities than in OST lunch break programs.

<p> Modeling is an important scientific practice through which scientists generate, evaluate, and revise scientific knowledge, and it can be translated into science classrooms as a means for engaging students in authentic scientific practice. Much of the research investigating modeling in classrooms focuses on student learning, leaving a gap in understanding how teachers enact this important practice. This dissertation draws on data collected through a model-based curricular project to uncover instructional moves teachers made to enact modeling, to describe factors influencing enactment, and to discuss a framework for designing and enacting modeling lessons. </p><p> I framed my analysis and interpretation of data within the varying perceptions of modeling found in the science studies and science education literature. Largely, modeling is described to varying degrees as a means to engage students in sense-making or as a means to deliver content to students. This frame revealed how the instructional moves teachers used to enact modeling may have influenced its portrayal as a reasoning practice. I found that teachers&rsquo; responses to their students&rsquo; ideas or questions may have important consequences for students&rsquo; engagement in modeling, and thus, sense-making. </p><p> To investigate factors influencing the portrayal of modeling, I analyzed teacher interviews and writings for what they perceived affected instruction. My findings illustrate alignments and misalignments between what teachers perceive modeling to be and what they do through instruction. In particular, teachers valued providing their students with time to collaborate and to share their ideas, but when time was perceived as a constraint, instruction shifted towards delivering content. Additionally, teachers&rsquo; perceptions of students&rsquo; capacity to engage in modeling is also related to if and how they provided opportunities for students to make sense of phenomena. </p><p> The dissertation closes with a discussion of a framework for designing and enacting lessons for engaging students in modeling. I draw on examples from this study to provide context for how the framework can support teachers in engaging students in modeling. Altogether, this dissertation describes how teachers facilitate modeling and why varying enactments may be observed, filling a gap in researchers&rsquo; understanding of how teachers enact modeling in science classrooms.</p><p>

<p> There is little written about the use of foundational courses in high school science. This study seeks to identify if a foundational course in high school biology improves student outcomes as measured by Biology I EOC exam proficiency scale scores and student growth. Efforts were made to determine differences in cognitive skill areas and affective/conative skill areas as students progress from the foundational course of Greenhouse Biology (GH Bio) to Biology I. Three years of test score data from over 15,000 student participants are evaluated, as well as extant survey data from biology teachers and district student scheduling personnel. Findings from the study indicate GH Bio does make a difference in academic outcomes in students taking the foundational course before taking the Biology I course, and subsequently, the Biology I EOC exam. Findings also show there are cognitive, affective, and conative differences between the GH Bio students and their non-GH Bio peers while in Biology I. The study also seeks to determine why some students are scheduled for GH Bio and others are not. Findings indicate there are variances as to the reasons and intent for scheduling students into GH Bio. Some students who could benefit from the course are not being scheduled into the course.</p>

<p> The adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) has brought with it a need for classroom assessments that measure students&rsquo; ability to make sense of, explain, and use science, with many of the performance expectations asking students to apply scientific principles and evidence to produce an explanation. But creating coherent written scientific explanations that demonstrate understanding of scientific principles is not an easy task for students and selecting or creating classroom assessments to properly evaluate this skill is not an easy task for teachers. This study serves to incorporate both of these problems by exploring what happens when scaffolds are included in the assessment process for the students of a group of science teachers at an urban high school in Northern California who were receiving coaching in scaffolding assessments. Presented as three distinct but related chapters I examine how the scientific explanations of students changed when a detailed graphic organizer/rubric scaffold, called SET4CER, was provided; I explore coaching as a conveyor of professional development for high school science teachers to incorporate scaffolding techniques into their classroom assessments; and I document how students in a kinesiology class interact with teacher designed checklist scaffolds to support a summative quiz taken under test conditions. The findings illuminate the difficulties facing teachers in both assessment and scaffold design and indicate that well-designed scaffolds add value to assessments by supporting students to give their best performance and ensuring that assessments evaluate students&rsquo; conceptual understanding rather than their memorization or organizational skills. Analysis of the coaching cycles revealed that although the coaching process is not always straightforward, it has potential as a method of professional development delivery that facilitates adoption of the techniques being introduced.</p><p>

<p> This research evaluates the effectiveness of Project ReCharge, an energy efficiency, STEM curriculum designed for middle and high school students. The project includes a five-unit curriculum, and monthly professional development spanning a year. The project was implemented in ten schools over three years. Four areas were explored in the study including (1) changes to student content knowledge, (2) changes to student attitudes towards STEM subjects and careers, (3) changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs, and (4) changes to teacher content knowledge. A content test for teachers and students, the STEM Semantics Survey, and STEBI-A were used to collect data on 4123 students and 47 teachers. Data were collected in a quasi-experimental design utilizing parametric and nonparametric techniques. Analyses suggest student content knowledge increased significantly from pretest to posttest for all years (Pretest: <i>M</i> = 11.38, <i>SD</i> = 4.97, Posttest: <i>M</i> = 16.67, <i> SD</i> = 5.83, <i>t</i> = 45.05, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001, <i> d</i> = 0.98). Increases to student attitudes in STEM varied by year and grade, but overall increases were found in science (<i>N</i> = 2362, <i>z</i> = &ndash;2.618, <i>p</i> = 0.030, &eta;² = 0.002), and math attitudes (<i>N</i> = 2348, <i> z</i> = &ndash;2.280, <i>p</i> = 0.023, &eta;² = 0.002). High school students tended to show more increased attitudes in more subject areas than middle school students. No changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs were found, and increases to teacher content knowledge only occurred in the third year (<i>N</i> = 22, <i>x</i>² = 5.158; <i>p</i> = 0.076, &eta;² = 0.319).</p><p>